Working on a computer with a traditional mouse never came easy for 8-year-old Isabelle Dapkus, who has developmental disabilities. However, Isabelle is now able to access her schoolwork online, all thanks to a fidget mouse (减压鼠标): the Hoglet - a multisensory device that resembles toy. “She’s never been able to use a mouse before, and it wasn’t for lack of trying, but it was just not the appropriate tool,” said her mother, Julia Dapkus, 41, of Michigan.

As virtual learning has become a common option for families during the COVID-19 pandemic, online schooling has also become a struggle for students with developmental disabilities.

The Hoglet - which takes its name from its resemblance to a baby hedgehog (刺猬) — is specially designed with elements from a fidget toy to increase focus for those with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (自闭症). The Hoglet is wireless and minimizes clicking sounds as to not annoy those with autism spectrum disorder.

Parker Lynch, creator of the Hoglet and CEO of Hedgehog Health, met Dapkus at a fundraiser, and he eventually asked her and her daughter to test the mouse out. Children who use a fidget device have an increase in concentration, are not as restless and are more likely to complete tasks in treatment and education, according to a study. The Flushing Hospital Medical Center in New York, which performed the study, found that fidget toys can be academically beneficial for students, including those with learning disabilities.

Because of research of his own that saw similar results, Lynch decided to create a tool similar to fidget toys that could provide the same functionality. After five years of research and testing, Lynch founded Hedgehog Health and released the company’s first product, the Hoglet.

Lynch is now working on a removable and washable cover for the Hoglet as well as another mouse that will stimulate all five senses.

Columbus Day has been on American calendars since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared October 12 a federal holiday to honor the Italian explorer who “discovered” the Americas in 1492. However, the holiday has always been controversial. Many people believe that Christopher Columbus should not be given credit for “discovering” the continent, since native Americans had already been living there for generations.

Besides, the explorer’s mission was not a scientific “voyage of discovery”, but one intended to conquer the new land. Critics maintain that the Spanish army Columbus brought on his second voyage, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of indigenous(土著的) people. Those that survived the massacre became slaves, working in mines. Many, therefore, believe that the explorer’s arrival should not be celebrated.

In 1977, a delegation of Native nations at the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, proposed renaming the holiday to “Indigenous People’s Day”. The proposal passed with a majority.

However, convincing the rest of the country to do the same was not that easy. It took 15 years before the city of Berkeley in California adopted the name in 1992 and then 22 more years before Minneapolis, MN and Seattle, WA did the same in 2014. The following year, eight more cities including Albuquerque, NM and Portland, OR, began celebrating the second Monday of October as “Indigenous People’s Day”. The movement really started to gain momentum in 2016 when 19 cities, including Boulder, CO and Phoenix, AZ, as well as the states of Minnesota and Vermont, all decided to rename the day to honor Native Americans. In 2017, 21 more cities, including Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA have made the shift.

With the increasingly larger number of cities moving away from Columbus Day each year, it will be interesting to see if “Indigenous People’s Day” gets federal recognition. Meanwhile, it will continue to be the focal point of debates throughout the Americas.

Most pet owners love and care for their animals and sometimes even treat them like family members. But domestic (家庭的) animals are also sometimes treated badly. This cruelty maybe intentional abuse (虐待), or it can be a result of ignorance. No matter whether it's intentional or not, animal cruelty must be stopped.

Cats, dogs, horses are the most frequent pets of intentional abuse, as they spend much time around humans. Animal abuse is also connected with domestic violence. In one U. S. study, animal abuse had occurred in 88 percent of homes investigated for child abuse. Many abusers threaten to hurt children's beloved pets to control their victims (受害者) or just to enjoy the power it gives them. Victims of domestic violence even stay in abusive relation—ships, fearing that if they leave, their pets will suffer for it.

Animals also suffer physical and psychological harm when their owners are careless in caring for them. This can involve failing to give them food or water, or leaving them outside in uncomfortable conditions. Some people even throw out their animals.

What can be done to stop animal cruelty? The best place to start is at home. Teach children to treat animals with kindness. Set a good example by being respectful toward animals yourself. If we show children that all animals should be treated with respect, that message will continue on to future generations. Contact your local animal shelter and ask how you can support them.

Many countries already have laws to protect animals In the U.S., for example, The Endangered Species Act (ESA) passed in 1973, protecting wild animals that are threatened or endangered. Some laws make it illegal to leave a pet in a car on an extremely hot day. Other laws place limits on the length of time that a pet can be tied up or chained outside.