On the evening of January 7, 1955, the curtain at the Metropolitan Opera in New York rises to reveal Marian Anderson, the first African American to perform with the Met. By then, Anderson was in the twilight of a career that was equal parts acclaimed and hamstrung by racism. …read more

Source: history.com

1327		King Edward II of England is deposed.
1558		The French, under the Duke of Guise, finally take the port of Calais from the English.
1785		Frenchman Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr. John Jeffries make the first crossing of the English Channel in a hydrogen balloon.
1807		Responding to Napoleon Bonaparte‘s attempted blockade of the British Isles, the British blockade Continental Europe.
1865		Cheyenne and Sioux warriors attack Julesburg, Colo., in retaliation for the Sand Creek Massacre.
1901		New York stock exchange trading exceeds two million shares for the first time in history.
1902		Imperial Court of China returns to Peking. The Empress Dowager resumes her reign.
1918		The Germans move 75,000 troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front.
1934		Six thousand pastors in Berlin defy the Nazis insisting that they will not be silenced.
1944		The U.S. Air Force announces the production of the first jet-fighter, Bell P-59 Airacomet.
1945		U.S. air ace Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. is killed in the Pacific.
1952		French forces in Indochina launch Operation Violette in an effort to push Viet Minh forces away from the town of Ba Vi.
1955		Marian Anderson becomes the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House.
1975		Vietnamese troops take Phuoc Binh in new full-scale offensive.
1979		Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge are overthrown when Vietnamese troops seize the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
1980		US President Jimmy Carter signs legislation providing $1.5 billion in loans to salvage Chrysler Corporation.
1985		Vietnam seizes the Khmer National Liberation Front headquarters near the Thai border.
1985		Japan launches its first interplanetary spacecraft, Sakigake, the first deep space probe launched by any nation other than the US or the USSR.
1989		Prince Akihito is sworn in as Emperor of Japan, following the death of his father, Hirohito.
1990		Safety concerns over structural problems force the Leaning Tower of Pisa to be closed to the public.
1993		The Bosnian Army carries out a surprise attack on the village of Kravica in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War.
1999		The impeachment trial of US President Bill Clinton opens in the US Senate.

Source: history.net

Key points

• The DSM-V lists nine clinically significant symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
• An alternative model of assessing personality disorders incorporates identity, self-direction, empathy, and intimacy.
• Not everyone with narcissistic traits suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

While we may have ideas of what narcissism looks like, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) lists nine traits and characteristics that are clinically significant in determining if someone’s super-sized ego may be something more than just self-confidence. At least five of the following traits must be exhibited to meet the diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

1. Grandiose sense of self-importance. This is the belief that your contribution and presence are essential to the happiness, success, or equilibrium of other people and any enterprises or relationships. “The project would have tanked if I hadn’t been on the team.” “If it weren’t for me, who knows where my spouse would have ended up!”
2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love. This describes the belief that you are capable of exceptionally high levels of achievement even when your skills or abilities provide no evidence of this being possible. “If I get this job, I’ll soon be writing my own paycheck and running the company.” “I’ll ace the LSAT and get a free ride to Yale law school. Wait and see!”
3. Belief that he or she is special and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people or institutions. This resembles the “I want to talk to the manager” mindset in that narcissists firmly believe that they should only have to deal with the top-level person in any institution. They try to insert themselves in high-status cliques, meetings, or social groups even if they’re unwanted. “Yes, the director and I go way back; we’re good friends and I know she’ll be eager to hear my perspectives.” “I’ll be speaking with the CEO to set up a meeting to talk about these new directives and let them know what my thoughts are on the matter.”
4. Need for excessive admiration. The narcissist isn’t satisfied with a compliment or pat on the back when others offer them as a part of natural conversation. They demand that others admire their appearance, accomplishments, skills, or existence. The admiration of others is what feeds the narcissist. “Isn’t it amazing how the color of this shirt sets off my eyes?” Boasting is second nature to narcissists, and compliments are typically recounted innumerable times to others as proof of their superiority.
5. Sense of entitlement. Narcissists may believe that success takes hard work – but only for others, not for them. They totally believe that they deserve the best tickets, the top score, the nicest room, or the best seat in the house. They don’t even have to verbalize this belief as their behavior and actions clearly communicate their sense of entitlement.
6. Interpersonally exploitive behavior. Narcissists see other people as tools. Their lack of self-awareness is paralleled by a lack of awareness that others exist as individuals with feelings, needs, and desires. “Get out of my way.” “Do me a favor and give up your place in line for me.” Whatever they ask for, it’s in their own selfish interest and they suffer no guilt for expecting others to sacrifice for them.
7. Lack of empathy. This is the cold inability to accurately recognize how other people feel. This speaks to the narcissist’s lack of emotional awareness or depth. It is not always that narcissists don’t “care” about another’s feelings, it is just that they are unaware that others might even have those feelings.
8. Envy of others or belief that others are envious of him or her. This describes the narcissist’s constant comparison of themselves to others, wishing for themselves the success others experience, and the false belief that everyone else is envious of them. That’s how they keep their egos intact. Being perceived as “normal” or “subpar” would represent an ego wound they could not handle. A narcissist might say, “Everyone notices me when I enter the room. They know that they’ll never be as successful as me.”
9. Demonstration of arrogant and haughty behaviors or attitudes. Arrogance and conceit are traits that are often noticed first in narcissists. This is evidenced by disrespect for the positions or rights of others and the narcissist’s willingness to demand and expect that others will bend to their will. Like exploitative behavior, this behavior can be easily noticed without the narcissist having to say a word. They’ll break in lines, use patronizing tones, and act as if they have every right to take away what is rightfully someone else’s.

In addition to the currently referenced nine symptoms, an alternative model of diagnosing personality disorders, such as NPD, was proposed in the DSM-V. This model is characterized by four specific areas of functioning in which personal disorders are most likely to be located. Among these four, an individual who has moderate or greater impairment in these areas would be considered to be evidencing a personality disorder:

• Identity. For narcissists, this is excessive focus on others to support their own self-definition and excessive reference on others as means to maintain their own self-esteem, as well as overly estimated self-appraisal and a tendency to be overly pleased or inordinately displeased with oneself. For narcissists, it’s not what’s inside that matters, it’s what outsiders perceive when they gaze on the narcissist that shapes their identity.
• Self-direction. Narcissists tend to keep their eyes on the prize that they feel others would prize. They are driven by a desire to prove they are superior to others. This drive is often coupled with a sense of entitlement that leaves them feeling that they should be above having to work for any goal.
• Empathy. This area of functioning is what allows humans to connect with and understand the plights of others. Unfortunately, narcissists only reference the reactions or actions of others as they relate to the narcissist’s own behavior. Even these “readings” of others are out of focus, as narcissists aren’t able to accurately assess their effects on others. They may attend to someone’s expressed feelings in order to leverage the person to the narcissist’s own benefit, but there’s no awareness that goes beyond the practical.
• Intimacy. This is where the narcissist’s true nature and shortcomings often hurt others the most. Narcissists are unable to forge or maintain more than superficial relationships. They don’t have the emotional capacity to relate in authentic, intimate ways. Every relationship is seen as a tool to feed the narcissist’s ego.

Conclusion

If you’re concerned that someone you care about has less interest in you than they do in themselves, but won’t let go, step back and look objectively at the traits that serve as markers of NPD. Not everyone who focuses on their own success or struggles developing authentic intimate relationships is a narcissist. It’s up to clinical professionals to diagnose the disorder, but if concerns about your relationship get in the way of your own healthy functioning, you may want to seek help from a counselor on your own. They have the skills to help you help yourself as you figure out what you need most from a partner for a satisfying relationship.

Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D., is a licensed counselor and professor at Northern Illinois University.

The “no tax on tips” policy, while seemingly beneficial for service workers, has significant drawbacks that may undermine its intended advantages.

Overview of the Policy

The “No Tax on Tips” policy, introduced during Donald Trump’s administration, aims to exempt tips from federal income tax, allowing eligible workers to deduct up to $25,000 in reported tip income from their taxable income for tax years 2025 through 2028. This policy targets workers in traditionally tipped occupations, such as servers and bartenders, and is designed to provide financial relief to those who rely heavily on tips for their income. 

Kiplinger

Criticisms and Concerns

1. Limited Benefits: Critics argue that the policy may not deliver the expected benefits to all workers. For instance, only tips that are voluntarily given by customers qualify for the deduction, excluding automatic service charges. This means that many workers, especially those in establishments that automatically add gratuities for large parties, may not benefit from the tax break. 2
2. Complexity and Confusion: The policy adds complexity to the tax system. Workers must still report all tips to their employers, and payroll taxes (like Social Security and Medicare) will still apply to these tips, meaning that not all tips are “100% yours” as advertised. This complexity could lead to confusion among workers about their tax obligations. 2
3. Potential for Wage Exploitation: There are concerns that employers might exploit this tax policy by reducing base wages, assuming that workers will make up the difference through untaxed tips. This could ultimately harm low-income service workers who depend on a stable income. 1
4. Income Limitations: The deduction phases out for individuals earning over $150,000 and couples earning over $300,000, which means that higher-earning workers may not benefit from the policy. Additionally, many workers in the service industry earn too little to owe federal income tax, meaning they won’t benefit from the deduction at all. 1
5. Impact on Tipping Culture: The policy may inadvertently contribute to a culture of reduced tipping, as customers might feel less inclined to tip generously if they believe that workers are not taxed on their tips. This could further impact the income of service workers who rely on tips for their livelihood. 
6. Conclusion
7. While the “no tax on tips” policy aims to support service workers, it is fraught with complexities and potential pitfalls that could undermine its effectiveness. Critics argue that it may not provide the intended financial relief and could even exacerbate existing issues within the service industry. As the policy is implemented, its real-world effects will need careful monitoring to ensure it serves the interests of those it aims to help.