We may experience a spiritual growth spurt at any moment. Passionate Mars conjoins dreamy Neptune, invigorating our inner drive while simultaneously inciting frustration and mistimed confrontations. We can breathe a sigh of relief once balanced Venus dances into its home sign of practical Taurus at 7:31 am EDT, reminding us of our supportive loved ones and offering peace. Finally, the sensitive Moon trines innovative Uranus, encouraging curiosity and spiritual healing. We just have to try to be better than we were yesterday!
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Sometimes, it’s better to let go than to hold on too tight. It can be tough to release certain things that you’ve been holding onto for a long time, whether you’re clutching a relationship, a friendship, a job, or even material items. While you may feel nervous letting go of something that’s been like a security blanket for you, you should have support from those who are meant to stay in your life for now. Look inside your heart to recognize what deserves freedom.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
You’re letting others take the lead. It might be time for you to repay a favor by giving back to those who have helped you in the past, potentially requiring you to let go of the reins. When they provide you with a project to work on or a way you could make their life a little easier, you may jump to pitch in. Even so, your emotions could be more sensitive today as well, so be aware of how you’re channeling your feelings.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
Confident energy is all around to support the sharing of whatever you’ve been working on. You might have been quietly working on a project, but it’s now ready to be debuted onstage — or you may have another announcement up your sleeve that you’re ready to surprise everyone with. You’re likely to find support at this time, but what’s most important is how you feel about your news. The universe is highlighting your personal satisfaction, not what everyone else might think.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
You’re taking a leap of faith. Whether you’re literally traveling somewhere that you may not have been to before or you’re challenging yourself in a way that you never have in the past, you can leave your comfort zone. No matter how intimidating this feels, keep moving forward! Once you overcome any mental block, you’ll probably realize that others want to support your adventure. Instead of letting old fears stifle new growth, allow this exciting opportunity to nourish your mind and soul.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
You might be keeping your ambitions to yourself. While you may want to share what you’re thinking with others, it’s likely best to keep it under your hat and tell them only the most minor details. You don’t want to prematurely shape their expectations before you’re even sure what you’re manifesting with those strong ambitions, but you know that you’re going somewhere that should allow you to be more yourself. Embrace your unique Lion energy for the best chance at success!
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Inner peace and positivity might be showering upon you through other people. Someone could be about to bring you good news, and their presence in your life has the potential to take some of the worry off of your mind. You’re more likely to get some positive encouragement from those around you, especially those who are more open-minded and geared toward emotional exploration and self-actualization. When you surround yourself with optimistic and creative people, it’s hard for you to go wrong!
Libra
September 23 – October 22
You can commit to organizing your life. Things may have gotten into disarray as of late, but you’re finding a way to sort through the chaos. Whether these are chores in your home that you need to catch up on, professional work that’s been needing a more concise schedule, or an inner emotional matter that’s been playing on your mind, do your best to set aside time to sort through the clutter and bring order back to your life. Don’t let the chaos take over!
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
You’re likely being encouraged to express yourself more. It might be that others need more from you to grasp your preferences, or that you should be clearer regarding what you’re wanting from another person. Communication can flow more easily, at least, so you could have an easier time finding the words that you want to say. It’s easier to take risks currently too, but make sure that your risks are more calculated than random. Do your research, then say what you mean.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Your heart can light the way forward. It may have been difficult to follow your soul in the past, especially when you were feeling unsupported, but those who might have been naysayers in the past could have transformed into cheerleaders. You may have proven to them that you shouldn’t be counted out, or maybe your family appreciates your differences more honestly — regardless of the specifics, look for more positive support in your present companions. It’s never the end unless you give up!
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
You might be wearing your heart on your sleeve. That’s not a bad thing, but it will be hard to conceal emotions that you may have wanted to keep a secret. Now isn’t a good time to rely on your poker face. Instead, make a point of being honest with the people around you about how you’re feeling. Try to have fun without worrying about what others are thinking. It’s time to dance like nobody’s watching — and if they are, keep dancing anyway!
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
You deserve to feel safe. While it isn’t always easy to assert your boundaries, or even know where your boundaries lie, it is possible. Right now, in particular, it should be easier to figure out where to draw that line. You have a clearer understanding of what is and what isn’t acceptable for you in your life, and when you’re in this state of mind, you’re then better able to communicate these boundaries to others. Don’t stand for what makes you uncomfortable — speak up.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Ambition is calling! In your life, you might have been hesitant to let yourself be supported or to delegate certain tasks to willing supporters, but it’s okay to lean on others when you need to. This is a good time to ask others what they would do in your situation or seek out professional help if you feel stuck on a project or even stalled in your journey to self-discovery. It’s not a weakness to ask for help — it’s actually a strength.
Idiot conservatives were doing the idiot thing this week, screaming “racism!” in response to an old tape of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg defending stop-and-frisk, one of the policies that drove New York City murder rates down to Mayberry levels. They weren’t being ironic.
In the 2015 tape, Bloomberg makes the blindingly obvious point that if “95% of murders and murder victims are young male minorities” – as is true in New York City – then police should be questioning about 95% young male minorities.
To stop crime, he said, you “put a lot of cops where the crime is, which means in minority neighborhoods.”
Bloomberg further explained that frisking young black and brown men for minor crimes is how you keep guns off the streets generally: “And the way you get the guns out of the kids’ hands is to throw them up against the wall and frisk them. And then they start, they say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to get caught.’ So they don’t bring the gun. They still have a gun, but they leave it at home.”
Does anyone with a functioning frontal lobe disagree with this? By pursuing the wacky idea of having cops frisk kids in high-crime areas for minor offenses like turnstile jumping, Mayor Rudy Giuliani cut the murder rate from more than 2,000 per year to about 600. No one thought it could possibly go any lower – and then Bloomberg got murders down to an unfathomable 300 or so per year.
Giuliani and Bloomberg did more for young minorities than all living Democrats combined. In New York City alone, at least 20,000 more black men are alive today than would be under the genius crime-fighting ideas of prior administrations (and The New York Times).
Unless liberal elites are pursuing a secret plan to reduce the black population by allowing young black men to kill one another (that would make a great movie by Jordan Peele!), stop-and-frisk is nothing to apologize for.
Well, guess what? Bloomberg apologized for it. He began his presidential campaign with a repudiation of his signature accomplishment in order to please a handful of black activists and a lot of white liberals. For that, he deserves the contempt of all men of goodwill.
Why not attack him for the gutless apology? Is Bloomberg sorry for saving so many black lives? Does becoming a Democrat make basic math incomprehensible? Is he a pandering coward? Can we trust anything he says?
But small-bore conservatives did what they always do: Give up winning a war in order to land a quick blow in a skirmish. They called Bloomberg’s earlier, logically insuperable point “RACIST!”
Great, so now conservatives are adopting the absolute worst aspect of liberalism – calling everything “racist.”
As I wrote in 2016, when the media were going through their quadrennial demand that the Republican candidate for president “disavow” David Duke, these “racism” orgies never have anything to do with black people. It’s part of the Fabulous White People competition, where black people are the chips.
If anything, the urge to call other people “racist” has only gotten stronger since then, so I’ll quote myself:
“Sad people with meaningless lives [are] suddenly empowered to condemn other people. I beat you in blacks yesterday; I’m going to beat you in women today. This is what makes them feel superior to other people, especially other white people. It’s not about racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.; it’s just a self-actualization movement for people with emotional issues.”
Why are conservatives leaping into this game? For the teeny-tiny pleasure of taking a cheap shot at Bloomberg, they are endorsing the idea that anyone who 1) grasps basic math and 2) is opposed to gun crime is a “racist.”
Our entire public dialogue will soon be nothing but white people calling one another “racist,” as if we’re trapped in an eternal Democratic presidential debate.
At the New Hampshire debate last Friday night, Tom Steyer – hedge fund manager and Hero to Black People Everywhere – kept hammering Joe Biden about some “racist” remark made by South Carolina State Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a Biden supporter.
“One of the leaders of Joe Biden’s South Carolina campaign,” Steyer said, “made racist remarks about someone associated with our campaign.” Steyer then repeatedly called on Biden to “disavow” the remark and the man who made it. “Be on the right side,” he implored.
The story: Harpootlian had tweeted that another South Carolina Democrat, state legislator Jerry Govan, flipped his support from Biden to Steyer after being paid “almost $50,000” by the Steyer campaign. Calling Steyer “Mr. Moneybags,” Harpootlian concluded, “This is what happens when billionaires get involved. … They don’t have to persuade anybody, they just buy them.”
I’ve assembled a panel of black judges to rule on Harpootlian’s racism, and their response is: Keep reading. Get to the racism part.
Nope, that’s it! Govan is black, so pointing out that Steyer paid him $50,000 and got his endorsement is “racist.”
I would have gone with “anti-Semitic” myself, but what do I know? I guess I’ll check with the conservative “racism” fighters!
In partnership with JCC Chicago, Northbrook Public Library is hosting the “Triumph of the Spirit: Jewish Athletes Before, During, and After the Holocaust” exhibit on the library’s 2nd floor through June 15.
According to a news release, the exhibit features a rare collection of photos and reproductions of rare memorabilia of famous Jewish Olympic athletes whose lives were tragically impacted by the Holocaust.
The photos and memorabilia featured in the display were collected by Neil Keller, whose passion for preserving the legacies of prominent Jewish sports figures spans over 37 years, the release said.
His remarkable collection introduces some of history’s most influential and decorated Jewish athletes, including collectibles, photographs, trading cards, family memorabilia, historical newspaper clippings, and magazine articles, the release said. The exhibit also includes personal and touching stories about these inspirational and courageous men and women.
Library Events Production Manager Arielle Raybuck helped to coordinate the partnership with JCC Chicago.
“We really value the opportunity to share this profound exhibit with the Northbrook community,” Raybuck said in the release. “We also look forward to welcoming Neil Keller to the library on May 14 to share some of the remarkable stories of the athletes featured in the exhibit.”
To learn about the rich history and inspiring stories of these remarkable athletes, the public is invited to an intimate conversation with collector Neil Keller in Northbrook Public Library’s Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. Advance registration is required for this free event. Registration is available at www.northbrook.info.
This exhibit was made possible through a collaboration with Neil Keller and Susana Flaum, Gallery Director of the Judi & Allan Schuman Museum Gallery of the Adolph and Rose Levis JCC, Boca Raton, Florida, and is powered by JCC Chicago’s Growing Hope, the release said. More information about Growing Hope is available at https://www.jccchicago.org/growing-hope
Johnny Depp
has made far more headlines than movies during the past five years, thanks to a series of marital, legal, and professional scandals that have considerably dented his A-list stature. Those continue to this day, as the release of Jeanne du Barry has been greeted with a fresh round of reports that the Hollywood icon was a scary figure
on the set of writer/director/star Maïwenn’s French period piece. (Maïwenn has since walked back those rumors
.) Yet amidst all this external noise, Depp’s “comeback” performance turns out to be infinitely less wild and over-the-top than his tabloid reputation. Embodying King Louis XV with an understatement that’s as wry as it is imposing, the actor proves that he remains one of cinema’s most magnetic presences—even if his latest project doesn’t do terribly much with him.
Following its world premiere at 2023’s Cannes Film Festival
, Jeanne du Barry, which hits theaters May 2, is primarily notable for Depp’s participation, even though he’s merely a supporting player in its 18th-century tale. Instead, the true focus is on its title character (Maïwenn), who’s born Jeanne Vaubernier to a cook and a monk. Seemingly consigned to a simple life of obscurity, the young Jeanne enchants an aristocrat but is seen as a threat by this older man’s wife and is thus sent to a convent, where her fondness for racy reading material gets her tossed onto the streets. There, with her poor mother by her side (and working as her de facto agent), she becomes a prostitute of some repute. Jeanne especially catches the eye of Count Guillaume du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), who takes her into his home, where she comes to love his son Adolph (Thibault Bonenfant) and is befriended by the elder Duc de Richelieu (Pascal Greggory).
Much of Jeanne’s early days are recounted in Jeanne du Barry with the aid of dignified narration, regal compositions (emphasis on magisterial master shots), and Stephen Warbeck’s imperial orchestral score, all of which lend the film its reserved, semi-dreamy stateliness. Jeanne’s initial trajectory is the stuff of fairy tales, since after wowing high-society’s men, Jeanne learns that the King (Depp) has an interest in meeting her. This is a boon for everyone involved, including Guillaume, who gladly accepts a pouch full of gold coins as payment for facilitating Jeanne and Louis’ rendezvous at Versailles. The proceedings get a minor jolt from Jeanne’s subsequent session with the ruler’s trusted valet Jean-Benjamin de La Borde (Benjamin Lavernhe), who lays out the specific rules and behaviors required of those entering the monarch’s orbit. Of particularly amusing note is the demand that Jeanne never turns her back on the King; instead, she must take tiny backward steps whenever departing.
The Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education named Alison Keller the new Wescott School assistant principal for the 2024-25 school year at its April 25 meeting.
According to a news release, the school serves 489 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with a staff of 85.
Keller replaces Katie Compagno, who becomes principal of Willowbrook School this fall. This changes were prompted by current Willowbrook Principal Scott Carlson being named District 30 Director of Human Resources, a newly created role, beginning July 1.
District 30 received 31 applicants for the role and interviewed eight highly qualified candidates. From that pool, Keller emerged as an ideal fit for Wescott, the release said.
Principal Chris Brown said Wescott staff, parents, and students are excited to have Keller join the school as assistant principal.
“Throughout our interview process, Ms. Keller shared the collaboration, intelligence, and values aligned with our ideal candidate profile,” Brown said in the release. “Her work in a wide range of school initiatives, far beyond her role, will make her an outstanding addition to our school.”
Keller begins her new job on August 1. She joins District 30 with a wealth of experience, most recently as an Instructional Innovation Specialist with Lyon School in Glenview School District 34, according to the release. She has also taught for over a decade in Michigan State University’s master of educational technology program.
Superintendent Emily K. Tammaru said Keller also brings strong leadership experience from her time at District 34, spending her entire career involved in strategic school improvement efforts, the release said. She also earned a “Those Who Excel” award from the Illinois State Board of Education in 2021.
“Ms. Keller will be a strong addition to the Wescott team, offering valuable skills in connecting with parents, educators across grade levels, district leadership, and our external partners,” Tammaru said.
According to the release, Keller has over 15 years of educational experience and earned both her bachelor of arts in elementary education and master’s degree in educational technology from Michigan State University. She also earned a master of arts in educational leadership from the American College of Education.
“I am delighted to join the Wescott team and look forward to supporting the shared commitment to educating the whole child, nurturing learner curiosity and agency, and ensuring a sense of belonging for every member of the school community,” Keller said in the release.
