I could always tell how late it was by the cold and the sound. Like clockwork, the chilly San Francisco air would creep into my family’s one-bedroom apartment in the Tenderloin by 10 pm The breeze would slip through the slits of the rotting wooden window frames, rustling the newspapers we used for insulation.

But one November night, the sound was different. I heard scratching—it had to be a mouse.

I dashed to the bathroom and slumped onto the toilet seat cover. I looked upward and cursed the God that would allow people to live in these conditions. It was only then that I noticed threads of gray and black mold decorating the bathroom walls like strings of Christmas lights.

Our home was a biohazardous wasteland.

Moving around the apartment, I saw my mom in the kitchen cooking pho for the next day. The floor started to give beneath her as she carried scallions the few feet from the refrigerator to the sink. It was only a matter of time before it caved in.

She lit a piece of paper and transferred the flame onto the stove. I watched the steam from the boiling water travel up the wall to the kitchen vent, in front of a patchwork of orange and black mold.

At the time, I was in high school. My immigrant parents didn’t see anything wrong with our apartment — it was no different from many of the ones they’d seen in their home country of Vietnam. They did not know or care about the possible health complications from inadequate insulation and chronic rodent and mold exposure. They accepted our lot — even as our daily commutes would take us past the pristine marble floors and chandeliers of the Olympic Club hotel, just a couple blocks from our building.

But I couldn’t.

San Francisco, supposedly the most progressive city in the country, didn’t give a damn about us.

It was naive to assume that these problems were isolated to our fifth-floor apartment. Older residents lamented in Vietnamese to my parents about the infestations in their homes. Occasionally, I was invited into their units. They, too, were cramped dungeons with cracks in the walls wide enough for mice to travel through. Sticky mouse traps lined countertops and floor perimeters, but the mice grew wise and found other routes throughout the building. Some residents eventually grew tired of constantly cleaning the mouse droppings. Pellets began to accumulate on furniture and crevices, outlining the edges of living space.

We all generally understood that we had the legal right to a safe home. But no one in our immigrant-rich apartment complex knew how to advocate for themselves; they could barely speak English, and their English-speaking children were not old enough to take on the burden.

It was past my bedtime. I returned to the bathroom and splashed my face with water. Before I could dry off, I felt something grace my feet. Maybe it was another mouse — or maybe it was the same one I’d heard before.

I sighed, headed back to bed, and cried myself to sleep.

Our apartment was a death trap but we couldn’t move out. It was my low-income family’s only affordable option. With rent control, my parents paid less than $1,000 per month. Even then, they barely made enough to pay for rent and food, so an exterminator was out of the question.

My parents wouldn’t take action, so I contacted the apartment owners and pleaded for help. They responded by telling me I shouldn’t have been living in my parent’s apartment in the first place.

The owners were aware of our living conditions. They made periodic inspections, presumably dismissing the unit’s numerous health and safety code violations. They did the same with the other apartments in the building as well.

After a few years, some younger residents grew frustrated and moved out. They had graduated from college and had incomes that could support more expensive, safer apartments. Although they were aware of their right to a safe home, they knew that a lengthy legal battle with the building owners was not worth the time and stress, especially when they had the means to get out.

It only took the owners a few months to transform those vacant units into luxury-style apartments that they could charge double or triple the rent for.

Two years ago, a full college scholarship got me out of that place too — and out of the Bay. I would like nothing more than to leave that squalid apartment behind, just like those other young people did before me.

But I can’t.

My parents still live there, as do so many of my childhood neighbors and friends. They all deserve better.

Danny Nguyen is a writer who grew up in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. He recently received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, where he studied molecular and cellular biology, and medicine, health and society.

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California Lt. gov. Eleni Kounalakis made national news on Thursday by becoming the first woman in history to sign a state measure into law. The bill she ratified, Assembly Bill 2179, extends statewide eviction protections through June for renters who have applied for a state relief program – protections that would have expired this past Thursday had action not been taken.

Feel good story? Unfortunately, no.

Seemingly lost (arguably by design) in the national fanfare over Kounalakis’ historic first is the fact that the bill she signed contained a poison pill. Embedded in its text is a preemption clause that prevents jurisdictions like San Francisco from enforcing their own local eviction moratoriums, while allowing moratoriums in some places – like Los Angeles — to survive.

“There is no policy rationale for overriding local eviction protections in San Francisco, etc., while allowing other cities to protect their renters,” State Sen. Scott Wiener D-San Francisco and Assembly Member Phil Ting D-San Francisco, both of whom voted against the bill, said in a joint statement this week. “We shouldn’t be playing favorites by allowing some cities to protect their renters while prohibiting other cities from doing so. Cities must have the ability to protect their residents from eviction and homelessness.”

San Francisco is a city known for its political excesses. Trying to help its residents from being tossed into the street amid a deadly pandemic that continues to cause chaos in the global economy, however, isn’t one of them. And arbitrarily stripping the city of its ability to do so reeks of an ugly backroom deal.

Data compiled by The Chronicle show that nearly 21,500 households in San Francisco County were behind on rent as of February. Collectively, these households owe nearly $199 million.

More than $5 billion in federal funds has been made available to make the households whose back rent stems from COVID — and the landlords they owe — whole. But the state rental relief program charged with distributing most of these funds has been clouded by bureaucratic failures. Upwards of a year after California began accepting applications, not even half of the more than 507,000 households who have applied for the program have received aid. Those numbers don’t include more recent applications sitting on desks, waiting for the machinery behind this program to process them.

This is why flexible local eviction moratoriums remain so essential. And yet California didn’t just eliminate the ability of places like San Francisco to protect its residents, it cut off new relief applications as of March 31 – even as it actively pursues funding sources to expand the program’s pot. The state requested an additional $1.9 billion in federal funds last November, money that it is still seeking. And legislators recently passed a law to streamline the relief process to make it easier to quality.

It still wasn’t easy enough. In the wake of the bill’s signing, many lawmakers expressed concern that non-English speakers and some other groups had struggled to navigate the process and had been left behind.

We urge these and other lawmakers to take stock of the system’s failures and aggressively move to remedy them — before a wave of evictions swells the ranks of the state’s homeless population.

It’s not as if California lacks the capability to put money in people’s pockets in a hurry. gov. Newsom is lobbying for an $11 billion rebate that would give $400 debit cards to car owners — including electric vehicle owners — to combat the rising costs of gas. Payments could conceivably go out as soon as July. That Tesla owners could see direct relief from a momentary gas price hike, as thousands of struggling renters are thrown out of their homes due to bureaucratic bungling, is an injustice that can’t be allowed to occur.

Landlords are right to insist that tenants can’t be allowed to forgo rent payments in perpetuity. Blanket eviction moratoriums have to end eventually. The quickest and most ethical way to get to this place, however, is for California to more efficiently use the massive pot of funds at its disposal to make those with COVID debt whole. If we’re prepared to clear the way to put cash in the pockets of Tesla owners, we can do the same for those at risk of eviction and homelessness.

This commentary is from The Chronicle’s editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.

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NEW YORK (AP) – Erik Karlsson scored 39 seconds in extra time to give the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 win over the Islanders on Thursday evening and to give New York their ninth consecutive loss.

Nick Bonino also scored and Timo Meier had two assists for the Sharks, who won three in a row and five out of six. Adin Hill made 24 parades.

CONTINUE READING: Smash-and-Grab Thieves Hit San Jose Eastridge Mall Jewelry Store; 5 Wanted

Mathew Barzal scored early for the Islanders and Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 shots. New York, which lost eight straight games to regulation, is victorious in five games at UBS Arena, their new $ 1.1 billion home next to Belmont Park.

In extra time Karlsson ran up with a 2-on-1 before he passed Meier, who went from left to right over the front net but could not fire a shot. Meier then passed the puck back over the front from the right and Karlsson put it past Sorokin for the fifth time of the season.

Meier had his fourth multipoint game in the last five, earning him five goals and three assists during that time.

Sorokin came forward to block a 7:47 Alexander Barbanov shot in the third period, and Hill carried over a Barzal shot 10 seconds later at a breakaway to keep the score.

The Haie overtook the Islanders 14-7 and had plenty of chances in a goalless and fast-moving second period.

Sorokin had to make a series of saves in the first few minutes of the quarter. While the goalkeeper was on the ice, Rudolfs Balcers attempted to lift the puck over him, but it hit the Islanders defender Noah Dobson to keep the score.

Sorokin stopped a blow from Karlsson and failed mid-half to rookie Jonathan Dahlen. He also treated a high shot from Meier with 4:47 minutes to go.

Barzal brought the Islanders into play on the scoreboard with 1:04 in the first shot for both teams. He brought the puck up the right side, ran into the right circle, and beat Hill up on the blocker side for his fifth. It gave the Islanders their first lead in five games at their new arena.

CONTINUE READING: Investigations determine that the Vallejo agent’s use of lethal force is not “sensible”

Bonino equalized at 9:10 when he stood in front of the net and diverted a pass from Dahlen from the right, with Sorokin in position for the third time.

Anders Lee almost gave New York the lead again, but his last-minute attempt to hit a goal struck a goal post.

BE HEALTHY

The Islanders have brought several players back from their COVID-19-related absences. Josh Bailey returned after missing five games, Lee and defenders Adam Pelech and Andy Greene each missing four. Kieffer Bellows took part in training but missed out, and defender Zdeno Chara ran alone.

HURT

Hai striker Jonah Gadjovich left the game 3-11 in the first period after shooting a shot from Dobson in the leg. Gadjovich was on the ground for several minutes before being helped on and off the ice.

NEXT

Haie: At the New York Rangers on Friday night.

MORE NEWS: San Francisco lights the Christmas tree in GG Park after the darkest year of the pandemic

© Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

The post Karlsson Scores in OT to Give Sharks Win Over Islanders – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

By Eduardo Morales, Ph.D.–

The holiday season is just around the corner. Think of this as a time to thank friends and family and be grateful for what you have. There are numerous opportunities for us to share with those who are important in our lives, as well as those who are less fortunate and going through difficult times.

For example, many of us often forget to meaningfully thank those who have provided us with services such as mail delivery, managing the city and county we live in, protecting neighborhoods, cleaning roads, and the numerous benefits which we through our social networks. At AGUILAS, my non-profit organization based in the SF LGBT Center that serves the Latinx LGBT community, we’re taking our time in November – with a Thanksgiving event that will be held on Thursday evening the 18th for its participants through volunteer work and the staff for their dedicated work all year round.

Autumn break in Latin America

In Latin America, various countries start the holiday season right after November 2nd, All Souls Day or Día de los Muertos, as is highly recognized in Mexico. Each country has its own way of kicking off the Christmas season with gifts, seasonal foods, and gatherings.

For many Catholics of Latin descent, December 12th is the day when the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Virgen Morena (the Brown Virgin) is recognized and celebrated, now known as the Blessed Virgin of America, as she was given by Pope John Paul in 1994 II. Was declared. Although several countries have an image of the Virgin Mary with which they clearly identify, the Roman Catholic Church has recognized only three apparitions or appearances of the Holy Virgin. These recognized apparitions are each known as: Our Lady of Fátima, who appeared at the Cova de Iria in Fátima, Portugal; Our Lady of Lourdes, who appeared in the Massabielle Grotto just outside Lourdes, France; and La Virgen de Guadalupe or la Virgen Morena, which appeared on a hill called Tepeyac in Mexico City, Mexico.

Many cities across Latin America have patron saints celebrated during Las Fiestas Patronales. These festivals in honor of certain patron saints can take place throughout the year for a week with fairs that include parades, rides, stalls at various stalls, music and a wide variety of food for the participants.

These celebrations, combined with the recognition of La Virgen de Guadalupe on December 12th, enrich the end of the year holiday season. For many Latin American countries, this season starts on November 3rd and lasts until January 6th, the day of the Epiphany or Día de los Reyes. This day celebrates the visitation of the three wise men, or who some refer to as the three kings of the holy family. It’s January 6th when Latinx families give their children various Christmas presents. After January 6th, several Latin American countries begin preparations for Carnival celebrations in each of their cities.

During this time of thanks, here are some helpful tips to help you get involved, be grateful, and say thank you. An important first step is to focus on yourself; to build a level of self-love and respect and to be grateful for all that one has. Some may think this is selfish or selfish, but it can help you feel more satisfied and better able to interact and get involved with others in meaningful ways. People feel the joy in you when you participate and participate in the time of thanks. In this sense…

Treat yourself well

Spend time doing things you enjoy and treat yourself well. Once a day, try to have a seated meal with the plates and glasses you have reserved for special guests. This is an easy way to do yourself a treat and enjoy your food.

Do some activities that you enjoy, such as: B. going to the cinema, theater, museums, visiting friends and much more.

Invite friends to visit and enjoy their company.

Work out either at home or at a gym. This will help lift your spirits and keep you healthy.

Give something back to others.

There are numerous organizations you can volunteer with to help others in need. You can search the internet for various organizations in need of volunteers during this holiday season.

Rendezvous with friends you may not have seen in a while and whose company you enjoy.

Keep in touch with family members who love and care for you, and try to do the same for them.

Try new things and explore other cultural customs.

Discover how people from other cultures give thanks this season.

Go back to your own traditions and customs.

When you decide to go on a trip, you should consider Puerto Rico. September 2021, Puerto Rico is among the three US jurisdictions that have given the highest doses of vaccines for COVID-19. Compared to US states, this US territory has most of its eligible population vaccinated against COVID-19 and has the lowest rate of new coronavirus testing in the US (https://tinyurl.com/yruzd96c).

Masking and social distancing are required in Puerto Rico, along with a full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. It has been reported that 81.1% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 78.3% are fully vaccinated. As a US territory, no visa or passport is required. The people there are friendly, the food is very tasty, there is great music and the activities are festive.

Spanish and English are spoken across the island as the school system has been bilingual for decades. You have wildlife sanctuaries, beaches, museums, and theaters to visit, and Old San Juan is a popular destination not to be missed. When returning from the island, keep in mind that Puerto Rico is exempt from CDC requirements and you do not need to present a negative COVID-19 test result to return to the mainland (as per Discover Puerto Rico’s travel policy).

Beautify your home to reflect the seasons.

Decorate and liven up your living space to enjoy the Christmas season. If you have a knack for decorating, you can also help others spice up their homes for the season.

Shop at farmers’ markets, otherwise keep an eye out for the seasons. It is good for the environment and promotes better mental and physical well-being.

Plan ahead.

Consider handcrafting some gifts for those you want to thank and please.

The holiday season can be stressful for many, especially when things are done in a compressed period of time. Try to prepare for this holiday season all year round so that the stress is minimized over a period of time. Start planning how you want to spend the holiday season early in the year to take advantage of special offers and availability. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly made things more difficult than usual. Through year-round planning, you can minimize unforeseen circumstances. In the meantime, enjoy this thanksgiving!

Eduardo Morales, PhD, is the founder of AGUILAS, where he works as Executive Director. He is also a retired Distinguished Professor at Alliant International University and President of the National Latinx Psychological Association in 2021.

Published on November 4, 2021

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GAITHERSBURG, Md. (CNN) – The incredible story of a Maryland handyman who risked his own life to help a needy neighbor might not have happened six years ago without some arbitrary kindness.

It all started six years ago at a bus stop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when Doug Shumway did something extraordinary.

“I happened to notice someone who was standing at the bus stop. It was a winter day and I realized I could take this person with me, ”Shumway said.

Handyman Dan Reynolds donated a kidney to his neighbor Tony Antonelli. The transplant was completed on February 23, and the two men are now recovering at home.(Source: GoFundMe)

That person was Dan Reynolds, who agreed to go because 10 inches of snow covered the ground and it was 15 degrees outside. The two men talked, and Shumway learned that Reynolds was a contractor, so he hired him to fix some plumbing.

The job lasted a few days, and before Reynolds left, he admitted he was homeless. After a divorce and heavy debt, he had lived in a van for two years.

Shumway offered him a place to stay.

“That’s how we should be as humans. If so, give up, ”said Shumway.

Reynolds has lived with Shumway ever since. He quickly became a household name in the neighborhood and began working as a handyman for other families. Tony Antonelli was one of his clients.

One day Reynolds was mowing grass at Antonelli’s house and noticed that he looked uncomfortable. Antonelli told him that his kidneys were failing and that he needed a transplant.

“I said, ‘Well, if it can be done, I’d be honored to give you one of mine,'” Reynolds said.

“It was a complete shock, out of the blue, and honestly, you can’t make that up,” said Antonelli.

Miraculously, the two men made a perfect match. The transplant was completed on February 23rd and they are now recovering at home.

“There’s a reason Dan is in my life and it’s to save my life. I can’t thank him enough, ”said Antonelli.

To fund the operation, Reynolds’ friends organized a GoFundMe that raised more than $ 25,000. They also hope his story will inspire others to become organ donors.

“It’s not difficult to help one another, to do things for one another. Keep paying, ”Reynolds said.

Copyright 2021 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

The post Handyman donates kidney to present again after being helped out of homelessness appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (CNN) – The incredible story of a Maryland handyman who risked his own life to help a needy neighbor might not have happened six years ago without some arbitrary kindness.

It all started six years ago at a bus stop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when Doug Shumway did something extraordinary.

“I happened to notice someone who was standing at the bus stop. It was a winter day and I realized I could take this person with me, ”Shumway said.

Handyman Dan Reynolds donated a kidney to his neighbor Tony Antonelli. The transplant was completed on February 23, and the two men are now recovering at home.(Source: GoFundMe)

That person was Dan Reynolds, who agreed to go because 10 inches of snow covered the ground and it was 15 degrees outside. The two men talked, and Shumway learned that Reynolds was a contractor, so he hired him to fix some plumbing.

The job lasted a few days, and before Reynolds left, he admitted he was homeless. After a divorce and heavy debt, he had lived in a van for two years.

Shumway offered him a place to stay.

“That’s how we should be as humans. If so, give up, ”said Shumway.

Reynolds has lived with Shumway ever since. He quickly became a household name in the neighborhood and began working as a handyman for other families. Tony Antonelli was one of his clients.

One day Reynolds was mowing grass at Antonelli’s house and noticed that he looked uncomfortable. Antonelli told him that his kidneys were failing and that he needed a transplant.

“I said, ‘Well, if it can be done, I’d be honored to give you one of mine,'” Reynolds said.

“It was a complete shock, out of the blue, and honestly, you can’t make that up,” said Antonelli.

Miraculously, the two men made a perfect match. The transplant was completed on February 23rd and they are now recovering at home.

“There’s a reason Dan is in my life and it’s to save my life. I can’t thank him enough, ”said Antonelli.

To fund the operation, Reynolds’ friends organized a GoFundMe that raised more than $ 25,000. They also hope his story will inspire others to become organ donors.

“It’s not difficult to help one another, to do things for one another. Keep paying, ”Reynolds said.

Copyright 2021 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

The post Handyman donates kidney to present again after being helped out of homelessness appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (CNN) – The incredible story of a Maryland handyman who risked his own life to help a needy neighbor might not have happened six years ago without some arbitrary kindness.

It all started six years ago at a bus stop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when Doug Shumway did something extraordinary.

“I noticed by chance that someone was standing at the bus stop. It was a winter day and I realized I could take this person with me, ”Shumway said.

Handyman Dan Reynolds donated a kidney to his neighbor Tony Antonelli. The transplant was completed on February 23, and the two men are now recovering at home.(Source: GoFundMe)

That person was Dan Reynolds, who agreed to go because 10 inches of snow covered the ground and it was 15 degrees outside. The two men talked, and Shumway learned that Reynolds was a contractor, so he hired him to fix some plumbing.

The job lasted a few days, and before Reynolds left, he admitted he was homeless. After a divorce and heavy debt, he had lived in a van for two years.

Shumway offered him a place to stay.

“That’s how we should be as humans. If so, give up, ”said Shumway.

Reynolds has lived with Shumway ever since. He quickly became a household name in the neighborhood and began working as a handyman for other families. Tony Antonelli was one of his clients.

One day Reynolds was mowing grass at Antonelli’s house and noticed that he looked uncomfortable. Antonelli told him that his kidneys were failing and that he needed a transplant.

“I said, ‘Well, if it can be done, I’d be honored to give you one of mine,'” Reynolds said.

“It was a complete shock, out of the blue, and honestly, you can’t make that up,” said Antonelli.

Miraculously, the two men made a perfect match. The transplant was completed on February 23rd and they are now recovering at home.

“There’s a reason Dan is in my life and it’s to save my life. I can’t thank him enough, ”said Antonelli.

To fund the operation, Reynolds’ friends organized a GoFundMe that raised more than $ 25,000. They also hope his story will inspire others to become organ donors.

“It’s not difficult to help one another, to do things for one another. Keep paying, ”Reynolds said.

Copyright 2021 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

The post Handyman donates kidney to present again after being helped out of homelessness appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The stories and books we consume as children can stick with us our entire lives. Sometimes it’s because they successfully impart important lessons, but often times it’s because they scared the wits out of our childhood selves. Recently we asked Atlas Obscura readers to tell us about the kids’ books and stories that still creep them out. The responses gave us chills.

You told us about classic fairy tales that left you feeling uneasy. There were folktales, too, such as the monster-under-the-bed known as “Soap Sally,” who turns kids’ fingers into soap. And many of you wrote to us about specific books that gave you nightmares, such as the eerie favorite The Water-Babies. All kid-friendly, all horrifying.

Take a look through some of our favorite submissions below, and try not to freak yourself out. If you have a children’s story from your part of the world that still give you the creeps, head over to our new Community forums and tell us about it!

Dugald Stewart Walker/Public Domain

“The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf”

“Hans Christian Andersen had a thing for writing stories about naughty girls and the punishments meted out to them. This one concerns a poor girl who was raised up to live in better surroundings and became very conceited. When sent to visit her poverty-stricken mother, she dropped the loaf of bread that she’d been given for her family into the mud so she could step on it instead of getting her shoes dirty. But she sticks to the loaf and sinks down below the mud, is taken into Hell, stiffens into a statue, and goes through all sorts of horrific torments (flies, slime, bugs crawling across her eyes, hunger) while listening to her mother’s tears and people saying what a horrible person she was. At last she escapes her own disintegrating body in the shape of a bird, and spends a winter collecting and giving away to other birds enough crumbs to equal the weight of the loaf. And at last, she flies away (presumably to Heaven.)

I couldn’t get past the idea of being stuck inside your own body, utterly helpless. It’s an incredibly hopeless situation and she KNOWS it’s all her fault, and there’s such a slim chance that she can ever make things better. I guess it says something about me and my fear of being helpless. It’s pretty strong.” — Suzanne Barnes, Tucson, Arizona

“The Tailypo”

“A hungry farmer and his three dogs eat the tail of a strange creature (it’s black with yellow eyes). The creature returns, demanding the return of its ‘tailypo.’ It kills the three dogs over the course of three nights and ends its reign of terror by killing the farmer.

This was read to my 1st or 2nd grade class in the library and haunted me for years to come. Having looked into it as an adult, I have learned that it’s Southern folklore. Some versions include evisceration of the farmer so the thing can get its tail back. Why would anyone read this to children?!” — Rebecca, Massachusetts

“Soap Sally”

“Soap sally lives under the bed and would turn your thumb into soap if you didn’t go to sleep. My mom told me that she turned my aunt’s thumb into soap.” — Dorothy E., U.S.A.

John D. Batten/Public Domain

“The Hobyahs”

“Brave little dog Turpie kept barking in the night because the Hobyahs came creeping around the forest hut of his owners, an elderly couple. The old man daily threatens the dog with dismemberment for barking. Every day, he cuts off another limb or tail and still the dog barks. Ultimately, his head is removed and the dog ceases barking.

The illustrations of dismembered dog body parts casually placed inside the hut on a shelf [scared me]. No blood! And all because the dog is trying to defend his owners. This story was in a primary school reader! Gave me nightmares.” — Jessie Shaw, Virginia

“Mr. Pop Corn”

“When I was young, my mother purchased several antique children’s books from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. One of the books had very short stories, like poems, no longer than two-to-three pages. Mr. Pop Corn was illustrated as a dapper ear of corn with a top hat, like the famous Mr. Peanut. The neighborhood children snuck up and assaulted Mr. Pop Corn, and sheared off his kernels, then put the kernels in a big pot, and made popcorn. The children ate happily and had their fill. Poor Mr. Pop Corn. This was illustrated. Children giving chase, Mr. Pop Corn running, kernels popping, all around the text. As a child, I was horrified. Ripping the kernels off and popping them and eating them, that is a horror story.” — Linda, New Mexico

“The Little Sister Carries Her Doll”

“It is a ballad:

‘The little sister carries the doll on her back

walking in the garden to see the blossom flower

the doll is crying out, “Mama (Mom)”

the bird on the tree is giggling.’

Although I depend on the functions of psychology and linguistic anthropomorphism to explain why the doll cries out ‘Mama’ and the bird giggles, I still feel scared of this ballad for children.” — Bin, Taiwan

LOC/ppmsc-05899/Public Domain

The Water-Babies

By Charles Kingsley

“It’s about a little chimney sweep who was chased out of town, and he finds himself living underwater with a group of other children. I’m pretty sure all of the children in the story are dead, including the little boy.” — Courtney Downs, Denver, Colorado

The Tooth Fairy

By Anita Feagles

“The Tooth Fairy is this cute little twiggy waif girl who works harder than the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus because she has to work all year round. She loves teeth and has bucket loads of them that she sorts into boxes of girl’s teeth, boy’s teeth, top teeth, bottom teeth, EXTRAS, etc. She uses teeth to decorate her fish bowl, in a jar on the kitchen shelf, the path to her house is paved with teeth, she has garlands of teeth outside the house. She has a party for all the fairies once a year and they all get gifts of teeth. And play games with teeth. And the reason she loves teeth so much is because she doesn’t have any of her own!

Although it’s meant to be a sweet, goofy story describing The Tooth Fairy, I found it creepy as a kid because she doesn’t have teeth in her mouth, and feels the need to hoard them, using them as decorations and giving them as gifts. Making jewelry out of teeth. Paving her walkway with teeth! It’s just not right.” — Amanda Walz, Detroit, Michigan

Bony-Legs

By Joanna Cole

“It’s a Baba Yaga story (house on chicken feet, razor sharp teeth, eating small children). She captures a girl and makes her get herself ready to be cooked/eaten. The girl is helped by various maltreated pets and gates. The pictures of Bony-Legs are… haunting. For some reason this was my favorite book when I was in kindergarten and I read it just about every day. Then out of nowhere, I became afraid of the pictures and hid them behind the other books so she didn’t stare at me while I slept. Then for a stretch I became convinced that Bony-Legs lived underneath my bed with the villain from Superman II as her lackey.” — Marissa Miller, Minnesota

Wilhelm Busch/Public Domain

Max and Moritz

By Wilhelm Busch

“Max and Moritz are two naughty little boys that like to play pranks on their neighbors. They play mean-spirited pranks, like causing local chickens to eat strings and die entangled together; removing planks from a bridge; almost killing a tailor; adding gunpowder to their teacher’s pipe, and nearly blowing him away; that sort of thing. Eventually they slit open sacks of the farmers corn. They end up stuffed into the sacks, brought to the mill, and ground to pieces. They end up being fed to the local ducks. They are not missed. (In fact, the farmer sort of relishes in grinding them up…) The farmer knowingly (and happily!) feeds ground up children to the birds. And the whole town is okay with it. Also, once they’ve been ground, the illustration shows the ducks eating grain shaped like little boys.” — Sarah H., Florida (family is from Germany)

The Duchess Bakes a Cake

By Virginia Kahl

“The titular Duchess decides to take a break from duchessing and bake a cake. Things go horribly awry when the batter starts rising like bread dough, and simply doesn’t stop. The Duchess climbs onto the concoction to try to stop it from rising higher. Instead, it rises with her on it, trapping her very high up on a tower made of cake. Her husband and children see what’s happened and fear she’s trapped forever. However, the Duchess comes up with a plan: everyone will eat the cake so that she can safely get down.

One line that has always stuck with me and upset me, even when I was very little, comes up when the Duke and the children see the Duchess stuck out of reach. The youngest child begins to cry and the Duke responds, ‘Don’t cry, dear, about your poor mother. I’m sure, if you wish, I can find you another.’ The absolute callousness and willingness to replace his wife horrified me. It still does (even as an adult who knows that political marriages have existed for a very long time).” — Rose, New Jersey

Ozma of Oz

L. Frank Baum

“A sequel to Wizard of Oz, wherein Dorothy restores the rightful ruler to the throne of Ev with help from a variety of the odd characters Oz is famous for. [It is creepy for] so, so many reasons. Princess Langwidere and her collection of heads for every moment; The Nome King and the horror of being turned into decorative tchotchkes, unable to tell your friends who you are; and the Wheelers. The early 1900s moral code is very evident, and is fascinating to compare as an adult and parent nowadays.” — Moria Bergeron, Sunnyvale, California

Beatrix Potter/Public Domain

The Tale of Samuel Whiskers

By Beatrix Potter

“It’s a Beatrix Potter tale in which a kitten, exploring the space between the walls of his house, finds himself rolled in dough and nearly consumed by rats. This idea that there are little creatures lurking just out of sight that would kill and eat you if but given the opportunity, is startling to a child who has never had anything other than positive interactions with animals. It reframes the image of the home as a safe bulwark against raw nature.” — Ginger, Pennsylvania*

“Little Orphant Annie”

By James Whitcomb Riley

“It’s a poem about an orphan girl who’s taken into a 19th-century household to do all the housework. But, after dinner, she tells the kids of the house horrible stories about what goblins do to you if you act up. ‘The goblins’ll get you if you don’t watch out!’ The first cautionary tale in the poem has a boy who, because he wouldn’t say his prayers, was snatched out of his bed in the night by goblins, and all his parents find left behind are his pajama bottoms. The idea of a boy taken away, naked from the waist down, almost made me sick.” — Julie Huffman, Los Angeles, California

“Rubber Bum”

“My English aunt always told us this story. A young lad was sent to market to buy bacon. Instead of buying it, he slices off a part of his buttocks and pockets the money. Mom says how delicious it is. This happens day after day until he runs out of buttocks. The aghast parents have him fitted with a rubber prosthesis. He falls down one day, bounces, and is never seen again. I’ve asked many people if they know the story, no one has. Now I understand why my aunt didn’t have children.” — Beverly Demko, Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Anne Anderson/Public Domain

“The Tinderbox”

“A soldier meets a witch who sends him down into a tree where he finds money guarded by dogs with giant eyes. He then goes broke and the dogs return to give him more money. He then gets the dogs to steal a princess and rip everyone else to shreds.

[Creepy things:] The witch who wants the mysterious tinderbox but not the fortune; the tree with underground rooms; the dogs with hideously large eyes (the illustrations still haunt me) that he has to gingerly pick up and move; the dark attic the broke soldier lived in; the striking of the match and the scary dogs appearing; the marking of the town’s doors to find out where the princess goes at night; and the end note of the beautiful wedding feast with the hideous dogs enjoying.” — SW, U.S.A.

The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily

By Dino Buzzati

“Facing famine, the bears come down from the mountains of Sicily, defeat the Grand Duke of Sicily in a bloody battle, and then take over the monarchy and live like humans, until the king is killed by a sea monster. The illustrations, the giant cat, Marmoset, the sea monster, and the battle scenes, were both creepy and compelling. Also, the English translation is in this cheerful doggerel that takes you bumping along from one horror to the next.” — Chris Hawthorne, Los Angeles, California

Arthur Rackham/Public Domain

“Hansel and Gretel”

“Honestly, there are quite a few kids stories, even Little Red Riding Hood, that trip me out now that I’m much older, but this one I find very disturbing. A story about two children who got lost in a forest and end up at a cottage made of candy, then have to fight a hostage situation, and end up defending themselves by killing someone. It’s a luring, kidnapping, and murder story involving CHILDREN. Kids getting lost is scary enough (can you tell I’m a parent?), but being taken hostage with the intent of being eaten (cannibalism), then for a child having to make such as decision as ‘it’s us or her’ — innocence lost!” — Faniso Zimunya, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

“The Three Little Men in the Wood”

“Typical Cinderella-type story about a beautiful step-daughter and a wicked stepmother who plans to kill her. At the end, the heroine marries a king and he sentences the wicked stepmother and her awful daughter to be put into a cask, stuck round with nails, and rolled down a hill into the water. Pretty awful punishment, not to mention gruesome. And I have never forgotten it.” — Lauri Taylor, Salt Lake City, Utah

“The Strange Feast”

“A sausage became friends with a blood sausage. The blood sausage invited him over, then left the room. The sausage saw strange things, like a broom and dustpan arguing, and a monkey babbling to itself. Something or other warned him to run. He ran outside, and back through the window, he saw the blood sausage. It was holding a sharp knife, and said, ‘If I hadn’t warned you, I’d have had you!’ What’s creepier than a children’s story about a serial killer? Somehow anthropomorphizing a blood sausage only makes it more disquieting.” — Perry Fergin, Baltimore, Maryland

Andrew Lang/Public Domain

“Rumpelstiltskin”

“A mischievous little goblin man offers to help a girl who’ll be either executed or imprisoned forever by a king if she isn’t able to use a spinning wheel to turn ordinary straw into gold. The catch? She has to give up her first born child unless she can guess the imp’s name within three days of him coming to collect the debt. When she has her first kid, Rumpelstiltskin returns, and the girl desperately tries to guess his name to no avail. But on the night before the third day, she sneaks into the woods to find him, and overhears him singing a song in which he reveals his name. The next day, she says his name and he loses his prize and they live happily ever after.

I think the idea of a baby-stealing imp is horrible enough, as well as the idea of trying to teach children about the dangers of incurring debt through the narrative of a virtually un-winnable magical wager. But there are plenty of extra-gruesome versions of the story that make it especially creepy. In one version written by the Brothers Grimm in 1857, Rumpelstiltskin becomes so enraged when the girl guesses his name that he lifts his foot and stomps it so far into the ground that it gets stuck there, then, he grabs his free leg and literally tears his own body in half.” — Kristian, Las Vegas, Nevada

“The Teeny-Tiny Woman”

“The Teeny-Tiny Woman is a version of an old English ghost story where a small woman takes a walk and finds a bone in a graveyard, which she logically decides to take home and eat for dinner. When she takes a nap, a spirit arrives demanding the bone, and the woman responds, ‘Take it!’ The fact that cannibalizing comes across as totally normal while the ghost rescuing its body is supposed to be the frightening part [makes it creepy].” — Kelsey B., Seattle, Washington

“The Red Shoes”

“A spoiled little girl gets a special pair of red shoes that she wears everywhere. A man puts a curse on them that makes her unable to take them off, and continuously makes her dance. She winds up dancing herself to death.

My mother used to play records for me to help me go to sleep when I was a child, and some of them had stories on them. ‘The Red Shoes’ was on one of them. I can still hear the reader saying ‘she danced herself to death!’ I was WIDE AWAKE after that! I told my mother immediately, and she took the record out of the rotation, but I’m haunted by it into my 50s.” — Eric Johnston, South Carolina

J. Macfarlane/Public Domain

“The Bunyip”

“The Bunyip is a creature with an elongated body and an ugly head. It has long claws on its feet and hands and it makes horrible screeching noises. It lives in billabongs, ditches, and marshy bogs in the Australian outback. It survives by catching and eating children who are out camping, particularly children who are a bit naughty. It wanders around looking for these naughty children, who just disappear without a trace. Never to be seen again. Do they become another Bunyip? I was about 7 years old when I was given a book of short stories from other countries. This was one of the stories. Even though the Bunyip was in Australia and I lived in England, I had nightmares about it creeping into my bedroom whilst I was sleeping. I could be a bit of a naughty child, and I know I had the nightmares for a long time. I’m not sure for how long my behavior improved but it certainly made me think twice before getting up to mischief. I’m now almost 70 years old, but the Bunyip still makes me shudder when I think of it.” — Diane Hodgson, United Kingdom

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

*Correction: This post previously stated named The Tale of Samuel Whiskers as The Tale of Tom Kitten.

The post 24 Kids’s Tales That Nonetheless Give Us the Creeps appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

ADRIAN – More than 200 students from Lincoln Elementary School gathered on the Adrian College soccer field Tuesday to celebrate how their movement and exercise led to a great cause.

Lincoln Elementary in Adrian uses an online program called Free2Play during class to get her body moving. Free2Play is a non-profit organization co-founded by Gary Gray and his son Doug Gray and founded in 2001. The Gray Institute, of which Doug is president, is the driving force behind Free2Play. The Gray Institute provides exercise and applied functional science education and information. It encourages people to move and move around. Free2Play is a free program used by schools around the world, including Chicago, San Francisco, and even Thailand. It encourages students to be active and move their bodies so they can help others.

“It’s all about movement, but movement to do something for someone else. So we have a mantra; Our motto is “sweat, inspire”. Use and care for the gifts we have been given. Not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others and by serving others, which is the “inspirational” part, “said Doug Gray.

Lincoln boss Sam Skeels has known and supported Free2Play for a long time. He was a trainer for Hot Rock, a basketball camp started by the Gray Institute.

“The other cool thing is that we’re teaching the kids generosity skills and movement skills. … Free2Play is the only research-based movement skill that we can teach children to improve their knowledge of movement and thus their generosity skills, ”said Skeels. “What became of this this year is our coin-operated drive and the ability to raise a lot of money for some really good causes.”

Lincoln held a coin-operated ride as part of their goal of serving others and giving back, as Free2Play encourages. They raised $ 2,692.67 in just three weeks. This money will be donated for two different purposes: I92 Ministries and Alexander Elementary School.

I92 Ministries is an organization founded by Andy Piatt and his wife that offers weekend meals to students who cannot afford them. I92 packages these meals and delivers them to schools across Lenawee County on Fridays for distribution to students who need them. They currently look after around 700 students.

“You are changing people’s lives and I encourage you to continue to find ways to help other people in need. Thank you very much, ”said Piatt to the students. “What you’ve done makes a huge difference in our community and in people’s lives. Thank you very much.”

Alexander Elementary is in the process of installing an all-inclusive playground for all students so that children with physical limitations or a disability can also play. The donation from the coin-operated machine goes to the playground fund.

“I love to see all of these children, especially in the Adrian community, who support our efforts to develop this all-inclusive program, especially for students, so that everyone can be included,” said Alexander Principal Shanan Henline. “It is very encouraging to see that the children are supporting the effort to help with I92 Ministries and our Playground Fund. It’s really honestly inspiring. “

Kindergarten went through fifth grade students to Docking Stadium at Adrian College, which is about a three-quarters mile walk away. When they arrived, they all lined up on the soccer field. Doug Gray, with his wife Valerie, guided the children in the exercises and movements, and the students participated and followed them. Then Free2Play presented the two donation checks I92 Ministries and Alexander Elementary.

Free2Play is based on the idea that an athlete is only someone who is good at a sport.

“… Also, the children’s desire to give something back – I mean, we already have it deep in our hearts that we want to give – and when children find out that it is easy to give something, not financially … but Your time and talent, they instantly say, “I like this, this is cool,” and that motivates us all, “said Gary Gray.” So we quickly decided that we could redefine athleticism from someone who works hard and from someone who gives something back. “

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A couple of bills that would profoundly deregulate cell phone tower and antenna placement – essentially giving telecommunications companies complete control over where those facilities can go and overriding most local regulations – are moving quickly through state legislation, almost without news media attention.

A cell phone tower. Image © Justin Smith / Wikimedia Commons.

The measures would allow businesses to freely install antennas on public lighting or power poles anywhere in the state and would not include effective public health considerations.

The Measures Nurse and Health Attorney Catherine Dodd told me

Allows enterprise telecommunications providers to place wireless telecommunications equipment (towers and antennas) anywhere without local control or public input. This includes in front of houses and up to 6 feet outside windows in parks and near schools.

Senator Bill Dodd’s SB 556 (representing a district that spans much of North Bay) sailed through two committees with bipartisan support and only one no vote. It’s on its way to the Senate now.

The measure is sponsored by Crown Castle, which is building cell phone towers.

Senator Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, voted in favor.

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A companion invoice AB 537 from Congregation Member Bill Quirk, who represents the Hayward and Fremont areas, would require cities and counties to rapidly approve applications for new mobile phone facilities. It passed the communications committee and the local government committee without a single dissenting vote.

Congregation member Phil Ting, who is a member of the communications committee, voted in favor.

The impetus for the bill are (of course) telecommunications profits. But lawmakers have also heard from parents who complain that their children are not getting reliable internet access during the COVID.

Telecom says putting up new antennas (and adding 5G facilities) will help solve this problem.

Dodd, who worked in the Clinton Administration and ran the San Francisco Health Service System for eight years, disagrees with this analysis.

In fact, she argues, the bill could undermine municipal broadband efforts – which is a real solution to the digital divide:

SB 556 will DO NOT bridge the digital divide, This entrusts the company’s telecommunications companies with the regulation of wireless telecommunications systems (towers and antennas) and gives them access to all masts and signal lights. So they can make money by charging ever higher internet service fees. Telecommunications providers need to be regulated. Local authorities can ensure that internet access is affordable and even subsidized – if SB 556 is passed, this cannot happen

5G doesn’t facilitate voice data or internet connection – It only increases the download speed for videos (like games), is unreliable in bad weather, not cyber-safe, and contributes to climate change as it powers many more antennas.

In California’s cities and counties, WIRED requires a communally operated BroadBand to and into buildings: FASTER, SECURE, ENERGY EFFICIENT and CYBER SECURE. SB 556 prevents municipal broadband!

As far as I can tell from my research, not a single news agency has covered that bill.

So why is it going through the legislature without serious discussion or opposition?

Think about it:

Over the past two years, AT&T has spent $ 250,000 bringing lawmakers to Pebble Beach (called The Speaker’s Cup) for a fancy golf vacation. In 2019 and 2020 alone, the company donated $ 275,000 to the California Republican Party and $ 755,000 to the California Democratic Party. Gavin Newsom’s campaign for the governor raised $ 20,000 in AT&T money.

It’s hard to find a single lawmaker who hasn’t received AT&T money.

Verizon gave $ 73,000 to the California Republican Party and $ 80,000 to the Democratic Party. Verizon also gave $ 10.00 to Newsom.

Many state lawmakers have also received funding from Sprint.

“This is an uphill fight,” Dodd told me. “You have so much power and influence.”

The League of California Cities is against it. Some health lawyers too.

Here’s who’s for it:

Bay Area Council, California Apartment Association, California Builders Alliance, California Building Industry Association, California Business Properties Association, California Retailers Association, California Wireless Association, CTIA, Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Orange County Economic Council, Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, Chamber of San Francisco of Commerce, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Verizon.

That’s pretty much a list of people who are on the wrong side on most issues.

And nobody in the Democratic Party stands up against them to protect public health and safety.

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