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The Importance of Air Traffic Controllers

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Every day, thousands of planes fly through the sky, and most of us never think about how they get from one airport to the other safely despite the risk of collision, flying into storms, or getting too close to other planes. Aviation feels automatic, but the truth is that nothing about it is; the entire system depends on human beings we rarely see: air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers are the backbone of aviation; they are the people who keep the skies safe even when they are overworked, undercompensated, and unappreciated. The problem is that right now, the United States doesn’t have enough of them . A nationwide shortage has pushed many towers and control centers to operate at minimum staffing, with controllers working exhausting overtime hours to cover the gaps. Training new controllers takes years, not months. Many retire early because of burnout. And every time the government shuts down, the pipeline of new controllers freezes. Trainees are sent home, classes are halted...
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Extremism On Screen: Nuremberg, Face of Evil and Steel Toes

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This week’s blog is spotlighting the new release, Nuremberg , while taking a closer look at how film helps audiences dissect history and understand how certain historic events continue to affect our daily lives. Alongside Nuremberg , two powerful films from our library, Face of Evil and Steel Toes , also explore themes of extremism, propaganda, moral responsibility, and justice. These films examine the social and political conditions that help evil take root.  The film Nuremberg , starring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek , approaches the themes above using a psychological lens of a WWII psychiatrist tasked with evaluating Nazi leaders before the historic trials. As he attempts to understand the minds of those responsible for mass atrocities, he becomes increasingly fixated on the persona of Hermann Göring, a man whose charisma complicates the moral binaries one might prefer to draw. The film forces us to consider whether evil is a defect of the mind or an active choice justified by ...
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From Springsteen to Cole: Finding Meaning in Music Biopics

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This week’s blog will be an exploration of biopics. Biopics don’t just celebrate icons; they also explore identity, trauma, and resilience through music. They offer a connection to fascinating real-life figures, provide insight into significant historical events, and help humanize celebrities by showing that no matter how rich and famous they are, they still experience universal human struggles.  The new biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere , starring Jeremy Allen White , takes us back to the early 1980s, when Bruce was on the cusp of global superstardom but struggling to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past. As he records Nebraska , a stripped-down masterpiece that feels worlds away from Born to Run , we see a man torn between who he’s become and where he came from. This biopic is not just about fame or music; it’s about searching for meaning when the spotlight starts to feel overwhelming.  Take Livin’ for Love: The Natalie Cole Story . Gra...
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