Banned Book week started from September 26-October 2, 2021. What is banned book week you ask? It started in 1982. A bunch of books were on a list that were being frequently challenged by higher ups in schools saying that those books on the list could not be in schools or public libraries due to the reading material. The books were found to be either immoral and/or offensive due to whatever official was challenging it. Ever since 1982 the American Library Association would pick a week in the fall to highlight those books that were on the list.
I have decided to pick a couple of books that were on the the American Library Association list at one point or are still on it and why.
The Boy who lost his Face By Louis Sachar (1989)- reason why it was banned and/or challenged: has content containing material about bullying, occult, swearing and sexuality.
Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry (1979). Reason why it was banned and/or challenged: book contain reading material about alcohol, suicide, and discussion about Playboy magazine.
A Day in the List of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss (2018) reason why it was banned and/or challenged: political, religious material and LGBTQIA+ content.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) reason it was banned and/or challenged: encouragement of being anti police and swearing.
Junie B. Jones (entire series ) by Barbara Park (1992-2013): reason it was banned and/or challenged: promoting being bad.
Of mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937) reason why it was banned and/or challenged: reading material contain swearing, racism and fighting.
Sex by Madonna (1992) reason it was banned and/or challenged: Material was all sexual content.
The Things they Carried by Tim O’Brien (1990): reason it was banned and/or challenged: reading material had violence, abuse towards animals, swearing, and anti war discussion about the Vietnam War.
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam (1987) reason it was banned and/or challenged: reading material about Satan and cults and encouraged fighting.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz (series) (1981-1991) reason it was banned and/or challenged: deemed to scary towards the target age group and encouraged fighting.
That is just a couple of books that are on the list. The list always gets updated yearly and it is ever growing.
Here is a link of a list of the most frequently banned/ or chanellged books. Are any of your favorite books on it?
This week’s great small businesses I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with @sisterpalm!
Tell me a little about yourself:
“I am a palm reader and artist from Austin, Texas by the name Sister Palm.
Just coming into my thirties, I’ve already been studying the occult science of hand analysis for over ten years, in which time I’ve been exploring techniques from all cultures around the world & time periods, seeing how palmistry is truly an ancient art closely.
In 2019 I started reading hands professionally as Sister Palm because there is an interest & need for the resurgence of palm reading in my community. I find my career as a palm reader very satisfying because the information one can gain about themselves through hand analysis is not only miraculously accurate, but also incredibly helpful & valuable to everyone in every phase of life!”
2. What interested you in palm reading?
“I’ve always been a little mystical and intuitive, but it was actually my career as a visual artist that led me to learn palm reading. As an artist you have to train your eyes to see every little detail about something; intensely looking for informative detail is something I was already doing and I started learning about face reading and body reading because I was drawing people. After finding surprising success through learning ‘oriental face reading’ I was curious to see if hand reading held any validity as well. In my personal research over the years I’ve come to realize that looking into the hands for information about ourselves and our lives is as old as humanity itself, and hand reading has been talked about in every civilization since the dawning of time. The vast and enigmatic history of hand analysis intrigued me to study more about the ancient art and science of palm reading. As I continue my personal research I become more intrigued with palm reading because it is the visual representation of a person’s astrological chart and genetic make-up.”
3. Can you talk about your most memorable palm reading you had and why?
“The most memorable palm reading I ever had was actually reading my own father’s hands for the first time in the year 2009. I was a sophomore in college visiting my father over lunch at this Korean Restaurant in Copperas Cove, Texas, telling him about my new interest in hand reading– which was just another one of my many hobbies at the time. I know my father to be a good-sport, so I asked if I could take a look at his hands for practice. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I wasn’t even looking for anything, but I wanted to practice and the beginning palmist is encouraged to look at a lot of different hands as a learning method. What started as a casual conversation on what I had recently learned about in one of my palmistry books actually caused an epiphany! Observing the marriage mount on his dominant hand my jaw dropped: his “children lines” on the percussive side of the hand were clearly marked in accordance with his two marriages and five offspring: two children with his first wife and three children with the second! Amazing accuracy! It was right there; just like my books had described. Even now, I recall how shocking it was to see something I knew to be true so plainly marked on his hands. After seeing the accuracy of his marriage and children lines I knew the hand actually does record information about a person, for such a clear marking could be no coincidence. That affirmation ignited a life-long interest in the divinatory arts for me.”
4. If you had to pick 3 people (dead or alive) to read for. Who would you pick and why?
” I would love to read Dr. William Benham’s hands because he wrote the most comprehensive book on palmistry in the year 1900 called The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading, and his studies on hand reading are referenced in countless publications even to this day. I believe Dr. William Benham was a very interesting person, and I have a lot of respect for someone like him, who went against the cultural norm to pursue his own interests in the occult sciences. He pioneered hand reading for all of us and I am very interested in the character of his hands. While he published hundreds of hand prints over the years, he never included his own, which adds to my personal curiosity of what the hands of this great person might look like. I mean, I’m sure he had Philosopher’s hands and perhaps a Mystic Cross!
For my own research on the genetic effects of the planetary archetypes, I would pick the hands of my grandparents and great grandparents to read, were they not deceased as well. I think it would be fascinating to print the hands of multiple generations to see which archetypal traits are carried from person to person via genetics. Having printed my own hands and the hands of my parents and siblings, I am interested in researching the relationship amongst the hands of blood-relatives further.”
5. Do you have any exciting news or events that you would like to share?
“I am releasing my first ever PALMISTRY ZINE! This is very exciting for me because I get to combine my love of pleasing visuals with my love of sharing information around the occult science of hand analysis! A lot of times people express an interest in hand reading to me, but, and I know from first-hand experience independently researching palmistry, there’s a frustration around the unreliable resources available for learning this valuable skill. I think hand reading is a wonderful tool and I’m excited to create a resource that serves as a straightforward and simple introduction to seeing what your hand has to say about you! As Aristotle famously said “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” “
If you would like more information about @sisterpalm. Here is her contact information:
I feel like Grover has the personality of being a ray of sunshine during a down pour of rain. He may be the most random character in Sesame Street but he definitely one of more kind and optimistic of the group.
Grover actually first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show during the holiday season of 1967 under another name: Gleep. He had a skit with Kermit the frog (youtube video above that shows this appearance). He main purpose in the skit was to take away all of the toys that were made in Santa’s workshop.
After that appearance he would randomly pop up other muppet related shows such as The Muppets on Puppets in 1970. Which appeared on a public Television station in Hershey, Pennsylvania as part of that channel’s “Adventure in the Arts series”:
In these earlier appearances Grover was a of forest green color Muppet but went to a dark blue shade and bubblegum pink nose during season 2 of Sesame Street. Also during the first season of Sesame Street he changed his name is Grover and had a voice very close to Cookie Monster’s voice. But seasons after that he had the voice we currently known him for.
Some facts about Grover:
He is best friends with Kermit the frog because the work together alot:
He sang one of my favorite Sesame Street songs Monster in the Mirror:
And ABC Disco with Grover:
He is a muppet of many trades. He likes to take jobs that service the public such as being a waiter or working at a movie theater. Although he made not being the very being at those job he does try his best in trying to make everyone happy.
Frank Oz has made various comments about the Grover’s personality was inspired by one his dogs.
He is one of the few Muppets that is a super hero. He super hero name is Super Grover. His powers are trying to help as much people as possible however sometimes he doesn’t actually end up doing that.
What is your favorite trait about this Muppet? Comment below!
This week’s movie of the day is Being There (1979) directed by Hal Ashby. Starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, and Melvyn Douglas. I remember the first time I watched this movie was because I am such an admirer of the director of this film: Hal Ashby.
I just finished watching one of his other films. Harold and Maude and I absolutely love the film! I really enjoyed the dark humor and unique outlook of the film. So I looked for other movies that he directed and came across Being There.
Now I am a huge fan of Peter Sellers movies and I came to realized that I never saw him in a dramatic role. So watching this movie was a nice change of pace from watching being ultra in your face funny to under layer of a more human and even temper character.
Peter Sellers plays a man named Chance who lived a very sheltered life as a gardener in his boss’s home in Washington DC. He has never left the house nor knows the comforts of technology other than television nor can he read or write. When his boss dies Chance suddenly has to leave everything he is used to and have to venture fully on his own in the streets of DC.
During a car accident he becomes injury by a limo who is owned by a wife of a super wealthy and highly regarded businessman. Chance suddenly gets wisk away to their house where he meets the businessmen named Benjamin Rand. He is in extreme ill health from a sickness he knows that he will not get better from. From there a very unlikely bond happens between Chance and Mr. Rand. Chance becomes that hottest and most talked about person in Washington DC. His simple ways of being a gardener reaches and touches the political minds of Washington DC into a frenzy.
I have been re-watching this movie on the Criterion Collection channel, and I still feel like it holds up in many ways for me. The last time I saw it was in 2008 and I still feel like the performances are very strong.
Fun fact about this movie: Burt Lancaster was being considered for the role of Benjamin Rand.
Have you seen this movie or any of Hal Ashby films? If so which one is the most memorable? Comment below!
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