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This librarian rejected a book donation from Melania Trump, and people are upset
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A wagon full of free books sits in the corner during the Dr. Seuss Literacy Festival at the Kauri Sue Hamilton School in Riverton on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. The festival was arranged by the Childhood Development Center and features a series Dr. Seuss themed activities for children. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Sep 30, 2017, 1:39 PM
A Massachusetts librarian is facing backlash after she denied book donations from first lady Melania Trump.

According to CBS News, librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro of Cambridgeport Elementary School denied Melania Trumps books because she didnt think her school needed them.

In an opinion piece written on The Horn Books Family Reading blog, Soeiro said her school has plenty of resources, among other things.

So, my school doesnt have a NEED for these books, she wrote. And then theres the matter of the books themselves. You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a clich, a tired and worn ambassador for childrens literature.

Soeiro took matters a step further and recommended 10 books to the first lady its the librarian in me, she wrote that she said hoped would offer her a window into the lives of the many children affected by the policies of your husbands administration.

She added, You and your husband have a direct impact on these childrens lives. Please make time to learn about and value them. I hope you share these books with your family and with kids around the country. And I encourage you to reach out to your local librarian for more recommendations.

Not far away, the mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, where Dr. Seuss was born and raised, didn't find the librarian's decision, or views, helpful.

"'One fish two fish red fish blue fish' I think her comments 'stink' and are ridiculous towards our beloved Dr. Seuss," Mayor Domenic Sarno said, according to MassLive.com. "Her comments that this is 'racist propaganda and that Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliche and a tired and worn ambassador for children's literature' is 'political correctness' at its worst."

Melania Trumps book donations coincided with her effort to reach out to children affected by the opioid epidemic, according to The Washington Post. She also recently spoke about how she wants to end bullying among children, too.

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told The Washington Post that the first lady will continue her mission to help children, despite the librarians dismissal of her books.

Turning the gesture of sending young schoolchildren books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the first lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere, she said.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.