👄 Is mouth taping dangerous?

Happy Thursday! It’s September 21 — people are talking about the Alabama band director who got tased, the pros and cons of mouth taping, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

🥁 In the news: Band director gets tased

Johnny Mims, a band director in Alabama, was tased by police after he refused to stop his band from playing after a football game. Was it an excessive use of force?

🥁 CNN: Mims said that the police's behavior was “excessive”. Police allege that Mims pushed an officer, but Mims’s lawyer disputes that.

🥁 But @kdugan1850 said all Mims had to do was comply. “He didn't give the police who were giving lawful orders much choice.”

🥁 WVTM 13 News pointed out that Birmingham schools aren't allowed to keep playing after football games, as a matter of public safety.

🥁 This Redditor on r/Birmingham thinks everyone is wrong. Mims was disrespectful, but tasing him was totally unnecessary. And the kids who saw the incident will always be afraid of the police, which is a shame.

👄 Cultural trend: Is mouth taping dangerous?

Mouth taping is when you put tape over your mouth before you go to sleep. Is it a legitimate sleep hack, or another ill-advised health trend?

👄 Sleep Foundation: This trend is all over TikTok, and for good reason — it could help prevent snoring and bad breath. It’s worth a try for most!

👄 But The Skimm says it could make you anxious, especially if you have trouble breathing through your nose.

👄 And Fox News adds that it's dangerous: You could choke on your own vomit and die. It could worsen sleep apnea, too.

👄 Sleep Doctor isn’t sure. Some swear by it, and it might be a legitimate sleep hack. We need more research before we can give a verdict.

Quick hits

📺 Rupert Murdoch will step down from his position on Fox and News Corporation boards. (NYT)

🏛️ The Biden administration extended work permits and legal status to almost half a million Venezuelan migrants. (CBS News)

📔 A Texas teacher was fired for using an illustrated adaptation of Anne Frank's diary as part of her 8th grade curriculum. (The Guardian)

🏦 At its September meeting, the Fed decided to pause interest rate hikes. Officials signaled that another 2023 rate hike was still on the table. (NYT)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)