By Melissa Wuske

Hilton Hotels Cut Porn Channels

Hilton Hotels are cutting one of their amenities: pay-per-view pornography. A statement from the company said: “We have listened carefully to our customers and have determined that adult video-on-demand entertainment is not in keeping with our company’s vision and goals moving forward.”

Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said, “Hilton has taken a stand against sexual exploitation. Pornography not only contributes to the demand for sex trafficking, which is a serious concern in hotels, but it also contributes to child exploitation, sexual violence, and lifelong porn addictions.”

Archive Gives Voice to History

It’s been more than 60 years since teenager Emmett Till was kidnapped, beaten, and murdered in Mississippi—and since his murderers were acquitted by an all-white jury. Now Florida State University is creating an archive of materials surrounding Till’s life, death, and the subsequent trial.

In addition to a variety of court documents, interview transcripts, and oral histories, the archive will contain the research materials, including interviews and footage, that documentarian Keith A. Beauchamp used to create The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till. 

Beauchamp explained the goal of the archive: It “serves as a reminder of how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in terms of race relations in our country.” 

He continued, “I hope that scholars, students, and laymen who are interested in the archives walk away with a better understanding of the Till case and its importance to American history. Just like it was a catalyst for change in 1955, I truly believe that if everyone understands Till’s story, it can be a catalyst for change today.”

Balancing Faith and Fame

Actress Mayim Bialik, famous for staring in Blossom and The Big Bang Theory, recently told Fox News what it’s like to be a person of faith in Hollywood. “I think in general it’s never going to be trendy to be observant or religious in Hollywood circles,” she said. “There are people I know of faith, and we tend to congregate together.”

Bialik, who is Jewish, said she’s often questioned about her faith, especially since she has a degree in neuroscience. “Being a scientist and a person of faith, people want to know how that is. It leads to a lot of interesting conversations that I welcome, but a lot of people want to open up a conversation just to tell you you’re wrong.”

Her faith also affects the way she presents herself onscreen and in daily life. “Being a modest dresser, that for me is a certain amount of my religious faith—privacy and chastity. Just because I have a body, doesn’t mean it [needs] to be on display.” But she also corrected the notion that modesty is connected to shame. “It’s important, especially for children and men and my sons to hear, I’m not ashamed of my body; I just don’t feel the need to display it with two tiny pieces of fabric when I want to go swimming.”

Big Oops

A 12-year-old boy in Taiwan tripped while perusing an art exhibit. What’s worse: he caught himself on a Paolo Porpora oil painting Flowers, poking a fist-sized hole in it. Even worse, the painting is worth $1.5 million. Luckily the exhibit’s organizers are seeking funds from their insurance, not the boy and his family, to cover the restoration.

Melissa Wuske is a freelance editor and writer. She and her husband, Shawn, live and minister in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Find her work online (melissaannewuske.com).