Volunteering
April has been designated as National Volunteer Month. Technically, it’s a reminder to organizations to thank the volunteers who serve, but it can be a reminder about volunteering. Everyone lives such busy lives today that it might be hard to find ti…
Happiness
The researchers with Match.com used the aggregate data of users of the app to understand what aspects of their lifestyle made them happy. In other words, they looked at the correlation between habits and personal contentment. They found eight different th…
Religious Freedom
The big news in the LGBT community over the past couple of weeks has been the religious freedom laws in Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi. In each state, bills were introduced into the legislature to protect businesses and individuals who d…
Organ Donation
When most people think of April, they think of spring, Easter, and prom. In the United States, April is designated as National Poetry Month, Arab American Heritage Month, and Donate Life Month. Donate Life Month is when the Coalition on Donation brin…
Earth Day
In 1971, Dr. Seuss published “The Lorax,” which was kind of a fable about the toxicity of corporate greed and its effect on nature. Those who grew up reading Dr. Seuss may not realize the book’s message came out of a personal anger in the author. Un…
Witch
Many Americans are familiar with the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century through their history classes or from reading “The Crucible” in English classes. In 1996, a film adaptation of the Arthur Miller play was released. It starred Wynona Ryder and Dan…
Last will and testament
Some of the most beloved celebrities have passed away this year: David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Garry Shandling, and Ken Howard. Most people were heartbroken to hear that former First Lady Nancy Reagan died. She had been such a prominent figure …
Arab-American family
So far, Americans have celebrated Black History Month in February, and Women’s History Month in March. April brings a season dedicated to Arab-Americans. According to the Arab American Institute Foundation, it’s estimated there are over 3.6…
The Catholic Church has had its share of negative publicity
The Catholic Church has been taking a lot of heat for its stance on birth control and abortion in the wake of the Zika virus. In a rare concession, Pope Francis allowed that birth control measures “could…
Religiosity
Faith is a big deal in the United States. It permeates the news, politics, and healthcare. Pew Research Center recently released a survey about which states are more religious. It shouldn’t be surprising that the states which consider themselves to be…