The Buzz 05.28.20

FREE SPEECH

President Donald Trump is known as a prolific tweeter, using the social media platform Twitter to share his opinions on everything from the media (“The failing @NYTIMES” should return the Pulitzers it won for its coverage of Russian interference in the U.S. elections” was one on May 26) to the global Covid-19 pandemic (“it should have been stopped at its source, China, but I acted very quickly) was another from the same date. He uses the platform to attack his political enemies, journalists, world leaders and is often flat-out wrong about the facts he tweets, but it wasn’t until May 26 that Twitter announced it would take action. Starting that day, when Trump tweets something factually incorrect, Twitter is going to label such tweets as potentially misleading and link to a curated page that includes links and summaries about the subject at hand. The impetus: Trump claiming in tweets that mail-in ballots would lead to voter fraud. Trumped responded, on Twitter, that Twitter is stifling his free speech rights and interfering in the election, something he says that “I, as president, will not allow to happen!”

OVERHEARD

“We cannot touch anymore, but we can air hug.”
– A masked woman speaking to a masked toddler as he came in for a goodbye hug, outside of Devendorf Park in Carmel

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Pacific Grove High School Principal Matt Bell is capping off a memorable last year of his career before retirement. He had to navigate through a pandemic and help plan graduation (p. 18). He also received a prestigious award: the Association of California School Administrators’ Statewide High School Principal of the Year. Bell was chosen out of thousands of principals representing more than 1,000 districts. Winners must show exceptional leadership and commitment to educational quality and student achievement, according to ACSA. On May 20, P.G. Mayor Bill Peake recognized Bell with a proclamation, honoring him for establishing “a welcoming environment for family participation, listening to all and developing relationships with a range of stakeholders and policymakers to provide excellence in education.”

GREAT:

The idea of being a successful author was a long-time dream for Pacific Grove resident Alka Joshi, and it still feels like one – even after making the New York Times bestseller list alongside John Grisham, Stephen King and Delia Owens. “It’s amazing,” Joshi says. “It feels like a dream.” Her novel, The Henna Artist, was published on March 3. Joshi had talks lined up and was at first disappointed when they were canceled due to the pandemic. She’s since embraced it: “I don’t have to travel. I can be in pajama bottoms and do virtual book clubs. I can talk to various parts of the world.” Joshi has already written a sequel (now being edited) and is thinking of a trilogy. “At 62, I’ve reinvented my life and career, the same way the main character Lakshmi reinvented her life, and the way I wish my mother [who Lakshmi is based on] had,” she says.