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Best selling author Nora Roberts donates $50,000 to defunded public library in Michigan

'Libraries are treasures, opening the door to books and stories for all.'

Nora Roberts; library; book ban
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Nora Roberts donates $50,000 to public library.

Sometimes the world can feel a little upside down and one Michigan public library found itself in the middle of topsy-turvy land. Patmos Library in Hudsonville, Michigan, became a hot topic earlier this year after a book in the adult section of the library labeled 14+ was touted as inappropriate material for children. After the small library found its funding cut completely by outraged citizens, its launched a GoFundMe campaign to maintain the library and got support from an unlikely donor, bestselling author Nora Roberts.

Roberts isn't just your average writer, she's penned more than 220 romance novels, and many shoot straight to the bestseller list.

She saw the library's GoFundMe and donated the max amount allowed by the donation platform. Accompanying her donation, Roberts wrote, "Libraries and librarians should be valued and celebrated, never attacked and demeaned. 50k is the limit GoFundMe allows for donations. If you’re short of your goal, please contact me. I’ll make up the rest." With a multitude of bestselling books and no signs of slowing down at the age of 71, Roberts is ready to put more money into the institution.

Photo by matthew Feeney on Unsplash

Sure, you may be wondering, if the book caused such an extreme reaction then why keep it in the library? The book was a graphic novel called "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe. The novel is about coming to terms with your own sexual identity, but some parents saw the LGBTQ selections as "grooming." For LGBTQ youth who may be in an unaccepting environment at home, books like these can help them feel accepted and understood.

LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, but having an affirming space can reduce the suicide risk in youth, even when the support is outside of the home. In a 2022 national survey by The Trevor Project, 45% of LGBTQ youth reported they seriously contemplated taking their own life. So while books about sexual orientation may make some parents uncomfortable, having the information readily available and normalizing conversations around LGBTQ issues could actually be saving lives.

Patmos Library has a yearly budget of $245,000 and taxes pay for about 85% of the annual budget according to Larry Walton, the library's Board of Trustees president. Without the tax revenue, the library would have to come up with $200,000 to function in 2023. Walton told the Holland Sentinel, “We’ve made it known that here at our facility, we have approximately 90 pieces of material that could be relative to LGBTQ out of a total of 67,000.” This didn't seem to matter because the vote to defund the library passed.

Libraries have always been a safe space for people and a free place for education. If you don't have internet or a computer at home, you can go to the library. If you're not sure how to talk to your child about something, you can ask a librarian for a book recommendation. If you need to build a new resume or learn to use Excel for a new job, many public libraries offer free classes.

Libraries are so much more than a place to get books. They're a place to feel safe and seen. When I was younger living in a big city, if I was afraid walking down the street or unsure where I was, I would duck into the library.

Not having a library due to funding being cut over a few books that make someone feel normal is a disservice to everyone in the community. Seeing a bestselling author, whose books are likely on the shelves of that very library donating such a large sum of money to keep the building functioning is amazing.

Roberts told Bridge Michigan, “Libraries are treasures, opening the door to books and stories for all. Librarians, to me, are the guardians of those stories. I find the idea of librarians — who offer community services beyond reading — facing threats and attacks, a community library facing defunding both appalling and sad. It’s an honor for me to stand up for the Patmos Library and its staff.”

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Science

Researchers dumped tons of coffee waste into a forest. This is what it looks like now.

30 dump truck loads and two years later, the forest looks totally different.

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One of the biggest problems with coffee production is that it generates an incredible amount of waste. Once coffee beans are separated from cherries, about 45% of the entire biomass is discarded.

So for every pound of roasted coffee we enjoy, an equivalent amount of coffee pulp is discarded into massive landfills across the globe. That means that approximately 10 million tons of coffee pulp is discarded into the environment every year.


When disposed of improperly, the waste can cause serious damage soil and water sources.

However, a new study published in the British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence has found that coffee pulp isn't just a nuisance to be discarded. It can have an incredibly positive impact on regrowing deforested areas of the planet.

via British Ecological Society

In 2018, researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawaii spread 30 dump trucks worth of coffee pulp over a roughly 100' x 130' area of degraded land in Costa Rica. The experiment took place on a former coffee farm that underwent rapid deforestation in the 1950s.

The coffee pulp was spread three-feet thick over the entire area.

Another plot of land near the coffee pulp dump was left alone to act as a control for the experiment.

"The results were dramatic." Dr. Rebecca Cole, lead author of the study, said. "The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses."

In just two years, the area treated with coffee pulp had an 80% canopy cover, compared to just 20% of the control area. So, the coffee-pulp-treated area grew four times more rapidly. Like a jolt of caffeine, it reinvigorated biological activity in the area.

The canopy was also four times taller than that of the control.

Before and after images of the forest

The forest experienced a radical, positive change

via British Ecological Society

The coffee-treated area also eliminated an invasive species of grass that took over the land and prevented forest succession. Its elimination allowed for other native species to take over and recolonize the area.

"This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. In situations where processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a 'win-win' scenario," Dr. Cole said.

If the results are repeatable it's a win-win for coffee drinkers and the environment.

Researchers believe that coffee treatments can be a cost-effective way to reforest degraded land. They may also work to reverse the effects of climate change by supporting the growth of forests across the globe.

The 2016 Paris Agreement made reforestation an important part of the fight against climate change. The agreement incentivizes developing countries to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, promote forest conservation and sustainable management, and enhance forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

"We hope our study is a jumping off point for other researchers and industries to take a look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement," Dr. Cole said.


This article originally appeared on 03.29.21

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Education

Billionaire Richard Branson's simple habit that opens the door for incredible innovation

He "can’t understand" why everyone doesn't do it.

via Chatham House/Wikimedia Commons

Entrepreneur Richard Branson.

To paraphrase a popular adage about a tree falling in the woods: If you have a meeting and nobody takes notes of what was said, did the meeting ever really occur in the first place?

That’s the core question at the center of one of billionaire entrepreneur, Virgin Group founder, adventurer and philanthropist Richard Branson’s most important habits. He takes pen-and-paper notes during every meeting.

"I love learning," Branson explained on the “Worklife” podcast with Adam Grant. "I can never understand how people can have a meeting with somebody and not take notes. If you're having a meeting with a group of people where you're planning to sort out issues and not take notes, you're only going to remember two or three things from that meeting. And quite often from a meeting, you might have a list of 20 ideas that come out of it."

He’s got a great point. If people only leave the meeting remembering a handful of ideas, then some great suggestions that should be followed up on magically disappear. The good ideas that deserved reconsidering have been blown away into the ether, never to be considered again.

Branson believes that following up on ideas presented at meetings can take a company up another level.

"It's important to follow up on and it's very important to get back to the person who came up with those ideas and either respond positively or say why you disagree. By dealing with all those small things quickly, you go from potentially becoming an average company into becoming an exceptional company, and the staff who work there are really appreciative that their issues have been dealt with," Branson concludes.

The entrepreneur blames the lack of note-taking squarely on men. He adds that leaving all the note-taking to women does a real disservice to men.



“In my experience, 99 percent of people in leadership roles don’t take notes. What’s more, males are less likely to take notes than their female counterparts,” Branson writes on LInkedIn. “Not only is this unfair to women, but it’s also disadvantageous to men. It’s time for men to step up and do their share of support work. On top of counteracting gender bias in the work force, it will also give men a better understanding of what going on within the business and what needs to be done to make things run more effectively.”

Running meetings without taking notes also makes it harder for meaningful work actually to get done. “This often happens with, for instance, politicians. We will have a meeting, talk about dozens of ideas to improve things, and they won’t write anything down. They might remember one of the ideas, but what about all of the others? They will have to muddle through and little will get done,” he wrote on Virgin’s blog.

Ultimately, it’s essential for people to take notes because great ideas can be lost forever without them. “No matter how big, small, simple or complex an idea is, get it in writing,” Branson wrote. “But don’t just take notes for the sake of taking notes, go through your ideas and turn them into actionable and measurable goals. If you don’t write your ideas down, they could leave your head before you even leave the room.”



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Family

Naming twins is an art. Here are some twin names people say are the best they've ever heard.

With twins, all the regular pressures of having a baby are doubled, including choosing a name.

Photo credit: Canva

Are you in favor of rhyming twin names? Or is it too cutesy?

Having twins means double the fun, and double the pressure. It’s a fairly known rule to name twins in a way that honors their unique bond, but that can lead to overly cutesy pairings that feel more appropriate for nursery rhyme characters than actual people. Plus, it’s equally important for the names to acknowledge each twin’s individuality. Again, these are people—not a matching set of dolls. Finding the twin baby name balance is easier said than done, for sure.

Luckily, there are several ways to do this. Names can be linked by style, sound or meaning, according to the baby name website Nameberry. For example, two names that share a classic style would be Elizabeth and Edward, whereas Ione and Lionel share a similar rhythm. And Frederica and Milo seem to share nothing in common, but both mean “peaceful.”

Over on the /NameNerds subreddit, one person asked folks to share their favorite twin name pairings, and the answers did not disappoint.

One person wrote “Honestly, for me it’s hard to beat the Rugrats combo of Phillip and Lillian (Phil and Lil) 💕”

A few parents who gave their twin’s names that didn’t inherently rhyme until nicknames got involved:

"It's the perfect way! Christmas cards can be signed cutely with matching names, but when they act out you can still use their full name without getting tripped up.😂"

"The parents of a good friend of mine did this: her name is Allison and her sister is Callie. Their names don’t match on the surface, but they were Alli and Callie at home."

“Alice and Celia, because they’re anagrams! Sound super different but have a not-so-obvious implicit connection.”

This incited an avalanche of other anagram ideas: Aidan and Nadia, Lucas and Claus, Liam and Mila, Noel and Leon, Ira and Ria, Amy and May, Ira and Ari, Cole and Cleo…even Alice, Celia, and Lacie for triplets.

Others remembered name pairs that managed to sound lovely together without going into cutesy territory.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesThese matching bunny ears though. Photo credit: Canva

“I know twin toddler boys named Charlie and Archie and they go so well together,” one person commented.

Another wrote, “Tamia and Aziza. I love how they follow the same sound pattern with the syllable endings (-uh, -ee, -uh) without being obnoxiously matchy matchy.”

Still another said, “Lucy and Logan, fraternal girl/boy twins. I think the names sound so nice together, and definitely have the same 'vibe' and even though they have the same first letter they aren't too matchy-matchy.”

Other honorable mentions included: Colton and Calista, Caitlin and Carson, Amaya and Ameera, Alora and Luella, River and Rosie, and Eleanor and Elias.

One person cast a vote for shared style names, saying, “If I had twins, I would honestly just pick two different names that I like separately. I tend to like classic names, so I’d probably pick Daniel and Benjamin for boys. For girls my two favorites right now are Valerie and Tessa. I think Val and Tess would be cute together!”

Overall though, it seems that most folks were fans of names that focused on shared meaning over shared sound. Even better if there’s a literary or movie reference thrown in there.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesMany adult twins regret that their names are so closely linked together. Photo credit: Canva

“My mom works in insurance, so I asked her. She’s seen a lot of unique ones, but the only twins she remembers are Gwenivere [sic] and Lancelot... bonus points... little brother was Merlin,” one person recalled.

Another shared, “If I had twin girls, I would name them Ada and Hedy for Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr, both very early computer/tech pioneers. Not that I’m that into tech, I just thought it was a brilliant combination.”

Other great ones: Susan and Sharon (think the original “Parent Trap”), Clementine and Cara (types of oranges), Esme and Etienne (French descent), Luna and Stella (moon and stars), Dawn and Eve, plus various plant pairings like Lily and Fern, Heather and Holly, and Juniper and Laurel.

Perhaps the cleverest name pairing goes to “Aubrey and Zoe,” since…wait for it… “they’re A to Z.”

It’s easy to see how naming twins really is a cool opportunity for parents to get creative and intentional with their baby naming. It might be a challenge, sure, but the potential reward is having the most iconic set of twins ever. Totally worth it!

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Science

Is social media ‘killing the real you’? A simple equation may hold the answer.

Are you ever alone with your own thoughts anymore?

via Cottonbro studio/Pexels

A woman is losing herself to her smartphone.

When we ask ourselves, “Who am I?” there are many different places to go for answers, whether it’s psychology, spirituality, or connecting with our inner barometer that tells us when we’re being authentic.

There’s also the big question: Is life about finding oneself or creating oneself? Is there a true you lurking deep inside your heart and mind, or is life all about creating the person you always wanted to be through discipline and self-cultivation?

One thing is for sure: our thoughts are a big part of who we are. As the Buddha once said: “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.”

However, in a world where so many people are constantly locked into their smartphones, consuming everyone else’s thoughts on TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, at what point do we lose our unique sense of self after being filled with others' ideas?

social media, the self, social media addictionA girl is losing herself to her smartphone. via Cottonbro studio/Pexels

This question was recently brought up on Reddit, where Accomplished-Bend898 made an interesting point about the self in the social media era.

“Social media is killing you, but not in the way you think,” Accomplished-Bend898 wrote. “When you passively consume so much content, it fills your brain. To the brim. And at the same time, you aren’t spending any time alone with your own thoughts. You’ve become a consumer, not a contributor.”

“So your own, true thoughts start to merge with the hivemind of the internet,” the Redditor continued. “And whatever information the algorithms think you want to hear becomes what you actually believe. And so you are becoming less and less you.”

Accomplished-Bend898 simplified their theory into a math equation: “Passive content consumption - time alone with your own thoughts = the death of the real you.”

The idea that social media is killing people’s individuality is a bold and scary claim in a world where nearly everyone is on one platform or another. But for many, it rings true. Have you known anyone who fell down a rabbit hole on Twitter or TikTok, and their worldview began to change slowly over time? The more they viewed videos or tweets on a topic, the more the algorithm fed them the same content, creating a feedback loop that forever altered their personality.

If social media hasn’t wholly cut off people’s internal monologues and moments of thoughtful solitude, then they have definitely been curtailed. Studies show that the average person now spends 2 hours and 23 minutes a day looking at social media.

Although it’s hard to determine whether social media crowds out our own thoughts, it does cause cognitive overload, which makes it difficult to focus and process information correctly. This, in turn, makes it harder to think deeply about the information presented to us, making it easier to fall for misinformation.

Whether or not social media is killing “the real you” or “real us,” it has, undeniably, stunted our collective ability to hear our own thoughts.

social media, the self, social media addictionA man is losing herself to her smartphone.via Cottonbro studio/Pexels

Social media allows people to express themselves in ways that were unimaginable 20 years ago. However, instead of breeding a culture of individualism, it has created one of collectivism, where people are eager to follow the latest trends or conform to groupthink.

“Trends create a culture of conformity; if one doesn’t stay up to date with what’s ‘in,’ they are quickly categorized as ‘other.’ Extending beyond social media, people who wear certain clothing or listen to music that isn’t considered relevant to today’s trends are instantly judged,” Anahai Pellathy writes at The Standard. “Rather than choosing what to wear or how to act based on personal preference, people tend to rely upon trends and external perceptions.”

In addition, people are less likely to flaunt their individuality when they believe their actions are being judged by those who view their posts.

“Authenticity suffers under the constant gaze,” Hoan Westerberg, a writer focused on technology’s effect on people, writes on Medium. “Psychological studies show heavy social media users report lower self-esteem and life satisfaction than light users. When we constantly evaluate ourselves through the lens of others, we lose sight of our core identity.”

Although much work remains to determine whether spending too much time on social media is really “killing the real you,” there are enough warning signs to be concerned that we are losing the best part of ourselves to technology.

social media, the self, social media addictionPeople are losing themselves to smartphone addiction.via Cottonbro studio/Pexels

So, if you’re looking to reconnect with your true self, Accomplished-Bend898 has some suggestions for reducing screen time or making it healthier.

Don’t sleep next to your phone

Your brain will crave the first thing you feed it, so wait at least an hour after waking up to check it for anything.

Get a good screen time app

Built-in screen time settings are no match for your monkey brain. BePresent is my favorite because it uses actual psychology to combat phone addiction.

Delete social media from your phone

Force yourself to use it only on your computer so it is more intentional.

Turn your phone to greyscale

Greyscale will make your screen time a lot more boring. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text > Color Filters > Grayscale.

Replace scrolling with another activity

When you reduce your screen time by several hours per day, you need to replace it with something meaningful in your life. Start small and find out what motivates you.

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Health

Ear rumbling is a special 'superpower' that not everyone has

Can you do this?

via Eltpics / Twitter

Mapping out the structure of the inner ear.

There are no two human beings who are exactly alike. One of the funny quirks of evolution is that some of us can do things with our bodies we think are routine, but are impossible for others.

Some people can wiggle their ears, others can't. Some can wiggle their nose like Samantha from "Bewitched" while others just look really silly when making an attempt.

Not everyone can lick their elbow but most wouldn't attempt to do so in public.

A Twitter user named Massimo dropped some knowledge about a skill that not everyone has and even fewer discuss: ear rumbling.

Those of us who can do it know exactly what it is, while it's a mystery to those who cannot.

People who can ear rumble have the ability to control the tensor tympani, a muscle within the ear. Contracting the muscle creates a rushing, rumbling sound that, if flexed enough, can drown out a significant amount of noise.

This can be useful when someone is saying something that you don't want to hear but don't want to be rude and cover your ears. It can come in real handy if someone is about to spoil your favorite TV show or if you live with someone who can't stop nagging.

Some people cannot voluntarily create the rumbling sound but hear it when they let out a large yawn.

There's a Reddit sub-forum just for ear rumblers with over 60,000 people. Here's how some of them get rumblin'.

"I just squeeze the muscle in my ears I guess," — melvinthefish

"When I flex and hold whatever I'm manipulating to do that, I get my rumble," — ttywzl

"I get a mild rumble just doing the usual flex, but i can make it a bit louder by bringing my top lip up to my nose," — Willmono7

"The best way I can describe it is I 'squint my ears,'" —SteeleIT

The muscle exists to mask-low frequency sounds so we can focus on those at a higher frequency. It also works to mute sounds we create ourselves such as eating potato chips or coughing. It's a way that helps us from becoming annoyed with our own bodies.

Unfortunately, the muscle has a rather slow reaction time so it cannot prevent us from hearing loud sudden noises like a gunshot or a book slamming on the ground.

Massimo's tweet caused quite a stir on the platform.

Although scientists have known about ear rumbling since at least the 1800s, there doesn't appear to have been too much research on the topic. We know that some can rumble and others cannot, but it's unclear how it breaks down percentage-wise or if it's more prevalent in certain groups.

The good news is that the word is starting to get out and people who've been rumbling all their lives suddenly don't feel so alone.


This article originally appeared on 03.05.20

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