The director of the country's premier American history museum said she has no regrets about any of the museum's exhibits during her tenure after an expert confronted her with a "shocking" display that he said smeared Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.
Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig faced intense questioning from lawmakers during two Capitol Hill hearings this week. The hearings followed a White House Domestic Policy Council report accusing the museum of using taxpayer dollars and its status as a world-renowned institution to advance a "radical activist ideology."
During a House hearing Tuesday, Heritage Foundation expert Mike Gonzalez testified that a multiyear special exhibit, "The Electric Dr. Franklin," included a display that "pondered whether he had ever done experiments, electrical electroshock on indentured servants or slaves."
Watch: Smithsonian Director Pressed On Woke Exhibits: 'Is Mickey Mouse Racist?'
Gonzalez testified that the display included this suggestion "without producing any evidence whatsoever," which he called "shocking."

#director #american #franklin #exhibits

Thousands of baseball fans turned out Saturday for the opening of MLB All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where interactive exhibits, games and attractions welcomed visitors as part of MLB All-Star Week.
The four-day event opened to the public at 10 a.m. and quickly drew crowds, with organizers reporting more than 5,000 fans in the first hour. This year's theme highlights Philadelphia neighborhoods and includes activities designed for fans of all ages.
Among the visitors was 8-year-old Ashton, who smiled for photos in his baseball jersey while taking part in attractions that allowed fans to experience the excitement of the MLB Draft.
"Great scene. As soon as we walked in, everything is super eye-catching, and it just gives the boys an opportunity to fall in love more with the game of baseball," said Andrew Yannarella of Perkasie, Ashton's dad.
Organizers said creating activities for the entire family is a key goal of the event.

As part of its ongoing belief that the rights of white people are in peril and require government protection, the White House earlier this week released a 162-page report accusing the National Museum of American History of engaging in "anti-White activism", declaring that exhibits at the various Smithsonian museums were prepared by "people who don't want you to love your country". Two days later, a group of nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers led by Texas representative August Pfluger threatened to send the Department of Justice after the WNBA unless it makes itself "accountable" for presumably not protecting embattled Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark against the physicality of game's Black players. Pfluger implied hard fouls against Clark "may be racially motivated", and threatened a civil rights lawsuit against the WNBA on Clark's behalf could be an option.
The Pfluger letter represents the third time in less than a month the Trump administration and its loyalists have interfered in sports, twice using it as a front in its ongoing culture war, putting the Justice Department on high alert against anything it considers to be anti-white, anti-straight, anti-Christian. Enlisting Clark is pitting her against her own teammates and the culture of her league, but maybe the government believes she's already there.
Related: Republicans ask WNBA to protect Caitlin Clark from possible 'racially motivated' attacks
In a sense, time is running out on Clark. She has spent the last few days centering her public comments on the toxicity of social media, but the entirety of her five years as a national superstar deftly avoiding any direct link between her vague personal politics and the anti-Black portions of her fan base who loudly claim her. The government implying she needs federal protection from her Black opponents further forces her hand to speak declaratively about being positioned as a target by her sport.
It is yet another step in a dystopian continuum. In June, the Trump DOJ announced it would investigate if Major League Baseball's Pride Night discriminated against Christian players. Trump last week called Fifa head Gianni Infantino to have a one-game suspension against by US national men's soccer team forward Folarin Balogun rescinded before Team USA's quarter-final loss to Belgium.

Taylor Frankie Paul's ex-husband, Tate Paul, has filed for a restraining order against the embattled reality star known for her time on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and her shelved season of The Bachelorette.
According to Utah court records reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, a motion for a temporary restraining order was filed Tuesday in the former couple's yearslong divorce case; Tate also filed an affidavit/declaration with five accompanying exhibits. The court documents are under seal.
According to TMZ, which first reported the news, sources close to Tate told the outlet he is seeking sole custody of their two children: Indy, 8, and Ocean, 6.
EW has reached out to representatives for Taylor, 32, and Tate, 34, for comment.
Tate's filing comes the same day PEOPLE reported that Taylor recently did a voluntary stint in a rehab facility. The move came "at the recommendation of her doctor," a source close to Taylor told the outlet, adding that the reality star is "committed to getting better."

The image of a paleontologist meticulously brushing away dirt to reveal ancient bones might evoke mental pictures of a bygone era. However, even in the 21st century, our planet continues to surprise us with extraordinary glimpses into its prehistoric past. From remarkably preserved mammoths frozen in time to colossal dinosaur footprints forever etched in stone, these discoveries challenge our understanding of ancient life and spark our imaginations.
Prehistoric discoveries aren't confined to dusty museum exhibits and textbooks; they are happening right now, pushing the boundaries of what we t

The recent move we've seen in Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) has truly brought about a level of concern in this sector I haven't seen in some time.
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