Over the past several days‚ we have witnessed Columbia University‚ one of the oldest institutions of higher education in America‚ transform into a hellscape of virulent anti-Semitism masked under the thinly veiled guise of anti-Israel protests. The quad where I so fondly remember spending my days as an undergraduate is now home to a university-sanctioned encampment of hate‚ sequestering Columbia’s Jewish community into their dorm rooms — and even leaving campus entirely — in fear of their physical safety. New York Mayor Eric Adams’ offers to activate the NYPD to dispel the pro-Palestinian mob have fallen on deaf ears with university administrators‚ including President Minouche Shafik. Unfortunately‚ this unfolding chaos is just a new chapter of anti-Semitism that has long been embedded in the culture at Columbia and other elite universities nationwide. As an American Jew‚ I was proud to serve as president of Columbia’s largest pro-Israel group‚ then known as LionPAC‚ during my junior year in 2010-2011. My tenure involved routinely responding to a variety of protests against the Jewish state. Mock “apartheid walls” and cardboard cutouts of Israeli tanks were erected on Low Steps. Holocaust deniers‚ hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine‚ spoke freely under the infinite confines of “academic freedom”. And students simply trying to walk to class were subjected to “die ins” on College Walk‚ where anti-Israel activists donning fake IDF uniforms and machine guns would pretend to slaughter Palestinians‚ who would lay lifeless on the ground for minutes on end. These charades were no surprise at a university that hosted one of the world’s most prolific Holocaust deniers‚ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‚ and tenured Professor Joseph Massad‚ who called Hamas’ October 7th slaughter of innocent Israeli Jews a “stunning” and “astonishing” display of “Palestinian resistance”. In other words‚ today’s protests are a natural manifestation of Columbia’s seemingly limitless tolerance for anti-Semitism. There is ample room for reasonable debate about the war between Hamas and Israel and the Israeli government’s policies vis-&;agrave;-vis Palestinians. That is not the goal of these demonstrations. Jewish students are being verbally assaulted with calls to “go back to Europe‚” and rather than clearing the encampment‚ Columbia has instead cancelled in person classes to the detriment of all students. In my experience‚ Columbia’s pro-Israel faculty have always eschewed public activism out of fear of professional exile or termination. Columbia Business School assistant professor Shai Davidai‚ who has been heroically outspoken about the horrific conditions on campus and the administration’s abject failure to protect students‚ on Monday was denied entry to campus. Meanwhile‚ anti-Israel professors are allowed to freely celebrate terrorism and promulgate genocide with little to no repercussions. At best‚ Columbia’s feckless administration is demonstrating a shocking inability to distinguish between free speech and hate speech. At worst‚ they are complicit in an egregious‚ coordinated effort to harass and bully Jewish students to flee campus altogether — a tactic employed from time immemorial against the Jewish people. President Shafik’s young tenure at the helm of Columbia will be defined by what she does next. She can either continue to protect those espousing unfettered anti-Semitism‚ imperiling the safety of its students and their ability to attend classes. Or she can use this moment to send a message that those who call for genocide against the Jewish people will not enjoy safe harbor at Columbia. This week‚ Jews around the globe will come together to celebrate Passover by retelling the story of the ancient Israelites’ enslavement and exile in Egypt. Now is the moment to prove that the suffering of our ancestors was not endured in vain. The Jewish people must remain steadfast and resolute against those who seek our destruction. I commend the bravery of Professor Davidai and those Jewish students on campus who refuse to be intimidated by these hateful masses. The answer is not to retreat‚ but no student should ever be forced to choose between their physical safety and attending classes. President Shafik must allow the NYPD to disperse these mobs‚ arrest those who refuse to leave‚ and restore order to an institution that once stood as a hallmark of America’s promise.  * * * Michael Shapiro‚ Columbia University Class of 2012‚ is a former communications advisor and speechwriter for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” actor Chris Pratt and his wife‚ Katherine Schwarzenegger‚ are facing backlash for their decision to demolish a historic home to make way for a new build. The couple chose to have a Los Angeles home known as “the Zimmerman house” destroyed. The Los Angeles Conservancy‚ a nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic places in the city‚ described the house as “a noteworthy example of Modernist design from this era.”  The Conservancy noted that though the house was determined to be “potentially historic” by the SurveyLA program‚ it was never formally classified as such and was therefore eligible for demolition at the owner’s discretion.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Los Angeles Conservancy (@laconservancy) The mid-century modern home was designed by architect Craig Ellwood in 1950‚ per SF Gate. The outlet noted that it was reportedly sold off-market for $12.5 million in 2023 and was torn down “shortly after.” It was once featured in Progressive Architecture magazine. As with most architecture‚ it comes down to location‚ location‚ location. The house is situated down the street from two homes owned by Maria Shriver‚ Schwarzenegger’s mother‚ in Brentwood. A TikTok video tour of the home posted by the account @vintageonq‚ which was taken during an estate sale‚ has gone viral as this news hit the headlines. The TikTok goes through a list of the past occupants. The social media user noted that the property most recently belonged to Sam and Hilda Rolfe‚ who bought the home in 1975 for $205‚000. Sam Rolfe is known for creating the TV series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” He died in 1993‚ but Hilda lived in the house until her death in 2022. Critics aren’t just upset that Pratt and Schwarzenegger tore down the home. They’re also furious that the couple allegedly enlisted architect Ken Ungar for the new build‚ a pro who’s known for designing modern farmhouse mansions. The Eichler Network‚ an outlet documenting mid-century homes in California‚ published an op-ed about the event including photos of the lot where the house once stood. The writer expressed “shock” and “disbelief at the pile of rubble” upon viewing the aftermath. “Witnessing the demolition of revered residential architecture is a gut punch. Even walking the inclined driveway leading to the empty lot where such a home once stood can be painful‚” the article said. “Special place in hell for people who do this‚ go buy a readily made McMansion instead you dumb b****&;#33;&;#33;&;#33;‚” one person wrote on X‚ adding in a follow-up‚ “Tearing this down‚ for what&;#63;&;#63; Floor to ceiling black and white marble with no soul&;#63;” Reddit commenters also lamented the demo of the property on a midcentury modern focused subreddit. “Yet more proof that money can’t buy good taste‚” one person wrote. “This is incredibly sad. Ellwood/Burke just did custom one-offs‚ so there aren’t that many around. CSH #16 is one of my favorites. Great form and materials. Don’t want to ever see what atrocity that will take its place‚” another person wrote. Pratt and Schwarzenegger are currently selling their home in the hills of Pacific Palisades for $30 million.

This month’s full Pink Moon will dazzle stargazers tomorrow night (April 23). The Pink Moon will be on full and best display at exactly 7:49 PM ET tomorrow. But from Earth‚ we likely won’t notice that it’s at its peak. According to NASA‚ the moon will look full for three days. So from Monday through Thursday‚ we’ll all notice a shockingly bright and round moon in the sky. Unfortunately‚ the full moon will not look pink as the name suggests. Instead‚ it will be golden or orange as it usually is. NASA explained that the term “Pink Moon” originated from Native Americans who associated the monthly moon with the spring flowers Phlox subulata‚ more commonly known as moss phlox or creeping phlox. The flowers can bloom in multiple colors‚ but they’re most often a bright pink. And they start popping up in April. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Canadian Museum of Nature (@museumofnature) The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began referring to full moons by their Indian names in the 1930s. Pink Moon comes from tribes in the eastern United States. Tribes in other parts of the country dubbed the moon Egg Moon‚ Fish Moon‚ or Sprouting Grass Moon. Some believe the springtime pink full moon is a symbol of letting go. And‚ just as the season brings rebirth and renewal to nature‚ it should push us into fresh starts of our own. Those who take a moment to marvel at the moon may also notice another cosmic spectacle‚ the Lyrid meteor shower. While Saturday and Sunday were the best nights to watch for shooting starts‚ the show will continue for another week. The meteor shower happens when Earth passes through the C/1861 G1 Thatcher debris field. During the peak nights‚ it was possible to see up to 100 meteors an hour‚ but on typical nights‚ people will see around 10 to 20 per hour. However‚ the light from the full moon will make the shooting stars less visible. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post The Full Pink Moon Rises Tomorrow: When Is The Best Time To Watch&;#63; appeared first on InspireMore.

A man who is grieving the loss of his young wife is also ensuring his five-year-old son knows he’s loved and supported even when dad isn’t by his side. Haley Odlozil became a beloved social media influencer after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015. For eight years‚ she shared her life stories as she battled the disease‚ but Haley lost her battle in 2023 at only 30 years old. When she passed‚ Haley left behind her husband and high school sweetheart‚ Taylor‚ and her son‚ Weston. Taylor has been documenting his journey of healing since losing his wife‚ and he recently took his first trip without Weston. The day Taylor said “goodbye” to his son‚ he handed him a touching letter to remind him how loved he is‚ and he recorded the tearful moment for TikTok. In the video‚ Taylor hands Weston the letter and gives him a giant hug outside the airport. In the caption‚ the dad explained that he was going to spend a week in Italy to celebrate his friend’s wedding. While he was excited about the trip‚ he was feeling uneasy about leaving his son. “I’ve never left Weston this long‚” he wrote. “He is definitely a security blanket for me. I’ve also never done a trip like this without Haley. But you have to go live your life in order to get through grief.” Taylor explained that he promised his wife he would continue living “life to the fullest” after she died. So‚ taking the flight was an important step. @taylorodlozil Well I’m off to Italy for a week for my friend’s wedding. I’m excited but also struggling. I’ve never left Weston this long. He is definitely a security blanket for me. I’ve also never done a trip like this without Haley. But you have to go live your life in order to get through grief. I made a promise to Haley I would live life to the fullest. I’m already missing Weston. I wrote him a letter in case he missed me. I know he’s in good hands with my parents and Haley’s parents. #italy #wedding #newmemories #livelifetothefullest ♬ original sound – Taylor Odlozil The video quickly went viral with over 1.5 million views to date. And while he didn’t share the contents of the note on TikTok‚ he later gave Newsweek an exclusive look at what he wrote. “I want you to know how much I love you‚” he began. “You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I miss you so much and can’t wait until I get back to see you. I am so proud of the boy you are and the man you will eventually become. You make me want to be a better man and better father.” “There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing and being with you‚” he continued. “You are the best son a father could ask for. I hope you are having a great time with your grandparents. I know for a fact they love you as much as I do.” Taylor went on to remind Weston to say his prayers each night before saying “I love you” once more. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Grieving Widower Shares Beautiful Letter Of Love With 5-Yr-Old Son appeared first on InspireMore.

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If you didn't vote in 2020 or 2022‚ why would you then show up in 2024&;#63;

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