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Buy this undervalued stock before everyone else

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Buy this undervalued stock before everyone else

Banks have had a strong year in general, with the sector seeing a 27 percent gain in value so far this year, outpacing the growth rate of the S&P 500. Following the epidemic, several banks saw their stock values plummet to such an extent that they were forced to boost interest rates to compensate. This is partially due to macroeconomic trends such as government stimulus spending and a growing economy, but it is also attributable to other factors.

A bank that was undervalued but was still successful was tossed into the mix. There are additional factors that might contribute to it rising even more in the future. As a consequence, you might consider investing in bank stocks that are very affordable, such as New York Community Bancorp (NYSE: NYCB).

Get a loan at Bridge Payday and invest in bank.

We are in the process of switching banks.

According to New York Community Bank, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York Community Bancorp, the bank has around $57 billion in assets under administration. Investing and saving are two phrases that are sometimes used interchangeably to describe a savings bank, which also provides its customers with access to checking and savings accounts, as well as credit cards, among other services. Commercial banks provide a broad variety of goods and services, while credit unions are more limited in their offerings.

The New York Community Bank, headquartered in New York City, has 237 branches in five states: New York, New Jersey, Florida, Arizona, and Ohio. Its headquarters are in New York City. Because to acquisitions, the bank has expanded its presence to include branches in more states.

Following the acquisition of Flagstar Bancorp (NYSE: FBC) in the fourth quarter of this year, the stock is already on the rise again. Flagstar will add $27 billion in capital assets to New York Community Bancorp, as well as new branches in Michigan and Indiana, as well as in California, Wisconsin, and Ohio, to help the bank expand its reach. In addition to being a mortgage loan and service provider, Flagstar may also be a major wholesale network of merchants with 86 retail outlets in 28 different states.

The acquisition of this year’s assets, which total $ 85 billion, will be completed in the fourth quarter. The company has 400 branches in nine states and 86 retail lending centers in twenty-eight states. As previously stated, CEO and President Thomas Cangemi stated in April that the transaction would enable the two of them to “carry on the transformation of our bank into a fully-service bank, commercial banking, by expanding our product offerings and expanding our geographical reach without having branches that are in conflict.”

Cangemi said at the results conference that the deal represented “significant growth” due to “compelling financial metrics, including double-digit EPS increase and quick tangible book value development.” a bank account as well as financing alternatives

As a result of having a more balanced financial statement, we will be able to profit from a broader variety of enterprises and grow our market share. Loan services for multi-family properties are supplied by these companies in the form of indirect and direct multi-family loan services, as well as the extension of traditional construction and improvement loans in all of our markets.

There has just been the debut of a new company that takes payments via digital methods.

This acquisition by Flagstar has been a major contributor to the bank’s remarkable year, which has seen revenue expand by 32 percent, net profit climb by 48 percent, and net interest margins increase by 32 basis points. Second half of the year has come and gone without a trace. Loan volume was up 4 percent on an annualized basis at the end of the second quarter, but efficiency had dropped to a record low of 37 percent.

Aside from that, she has formed a partnership with Figure Technologies to develop a digital payment system for the financial services sector that will be built on the Provenance Blockchain. It is vital to note that New York Community Bancorp will act as a financial intermediary between sellers and buyers of digital stock of Figure via the use of its brand new electronic marker, USDForward, which will be launched shortly. A digital marker has been created for the first time by a bank using the Provenance Blockchain, which is a first in the financial industry.

The bank intends to explore further major transactions and future projects with Figure Technologies as part of their larger strategic engagement with the company. Mike Cagney, CEO of Figure, said, “This is the first in a series of ground-breaking transactions that we want to accomplish with New York Community Bank.”

At the moment, the stock is underappreciated.

If you take an efficient bank and expand it by making a significant acquisition and adding a pioneering new firm in the realm of blockchain technology, for example, you have a beautiful story on your hands. When you consider that this bank has a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 8, which is lower than its book value, the story gets more compelling when you consider that the bank is severely undervalued at the moment. It makes sense to invest in this bank before the rest of the market does.

The thoughts stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Motley Fool’s premium consulting service, which is available for a fee. We have a varied variety of people! The chance to think critically about investing arises when we do not trust the thesis of an investment, even our own. As a result, we are better able to make better and more gratifying decisions for ourselves and our family. As a consequence, our own wealth grows as well as our social standing.

Live updates from the aftermath of Johnny Depp’s trial against Amber Heard: reactions to the verdict, interview with Heard, revealing book

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Amber Heard’s Emotional Testimony Isn’t a Sign of a Lie, Experts Say

The way Amber Heard conducted herself on the witness stand should not necessarily be taken as evidence that she was lying, experts tell Insider.

Last week, a Depp v Heard jury member told Good Morning America that the Aquaman star “didn’t look believable” in court, explaining, “It looked like she was able to activate her emotions. She was answering a question and she was crying and two seconds later she was freezing. It didn’t seem natural.

However, Dr. Kate Porterfield of Columbia University’s Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma says such sudden emotional shifts can occur when survivors talk about traumatic experiences, as they first become agitated and then seek to calm down. .

“So the person can then appear flat, detached, and disconnected,” Porterfield said. “All of this is difficult for juries to understand because it seems counter-intuitive that a person might look flat or maybe even bored.”

Dr Jim Hopper of Harvard Medical School said it was ‘only human’ for jurors to be swayed by the outward emotions of witnesses, but added: ‘The question is what knowledge base do you have? […] If it was someone who was traumatized, then are you able to empathize with someone who might express this trauma in different ways?“

How Covid tracking apps are pivoting for business profit

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Spector considers this current version of the Zoe app a giant citizen science project. Users can enroll in different studies, which involve answering questions through the app. Current studies include investigations of the gut microbiome, early signs of dementia, and the role of immune health in heart disease. Before the pandemic, recruiting hundreds of thousands of people for a study would be nearly impossible, but the Zoe app is now a huge potential resource for further research. “I would love to see what happens when 100,000 people skip breakfast for two weeks,” Spector says.

People who have reported symptoms of Covid are not automatically included in these new studies. Some 800,000 people have agreed to track their health beyond Covid via the Zoe app, while a smaller proportion of people have signed up for specific trials. But it’s hard to imagine those huge sign-up numbers without the app playing such a big role during the pandemic.

“These emergencies become catalysts and create a very unique environment,” says Angeliki Kerasidou, professor of ethics at Oxford University. “We need to think a little more carefully about how we use these situations and what we do with them.”

There is also a question about the line between providing care and conducting research, says Kerasidou. At the height of the pandemic, the National Health Services in Wales and Scotland asked people to track their symptoms through the Zoe app. Tracking Covid symptoms this way might have seemed like the socially responsible thing to do, but now that the app is focusing on broader health tracking and clinical studies, should people feel the same? obligation to participate?

The German application Luca undergoes an even more spectacular about-face. As of spring 2021, 13 German states had signed contact tracing contracts with the app, worth a total of 21.3 million euros ($22.4 million). Back then, people used the app to check in to restaurants or other businesses by scanning a QR code. If they come across someone who soon after tested positive for the virus, the app would tell them to self-isolate.

But as vaccination rates in Germany improved, state contracts began to evaporate. In response, Luca CEO Patrick Hennig sought a new business model. In February 2022, Luca revealed that it would transform into a payment app, with its new payment feature launching in early June.

It was a bold business move in notoriously cash-friendly Germany. Around 46% of Germans still prefer to use cash, according to a 2021 study by British polling firm YouGov, compared to just over 20% in the UK. But Hennig hopes to change ingrained habits by leveraging the Luca brand – and the registered user base of 40 million people – that the company has built throughout the pandemic.

The idea is that people can use Luca as an alternative to card terminals. At the end of a meal, restaurant customers scan a QR code which shows them their bill and allows them to pay through the Luca app, using Apple Pay or their card details. Hennig is trying to incentivize restaurants to use his system by reducing the 1-3% fee they are typically charged for using a card terminal. Currently, Luca is free for restaurants and stores, but it will drop to a 0.5% fee at the end of the year, Hennig said. Over 1,000 restaurants and stores have signed up so far.

Inside the push to diversify the book industry

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Some publishers, like Lucas, are trying to figure out how to do the same for the vast swaths of America that big publishers have mostly ignored. It’s an effort complicated by a long history of neglect, itself linked to the failure of publishers to take diversity seriously within their own professional ranks until recently. In interviews with over 50 current and former book professionals and authors, I heard about previous failed attempts to cultivate a black audience and an industry culture that still struggles to overcome clubby and white elitism. in which she was born. As Lucas sees it, the future of book publishing will be determined not only by her recent hires, but also by how she answers this question: instead of fighting for slices of a shrinking pie, can publishers work to increase readership for everyone?

When I entered world of book publishing – where I spent two years as an assistant and another 16 as an editor, reviewer and journalist – Barbara Epler, now editor of New Directions, warned me that the entry-level salary was abysmal, in large part because publishers assumed that few of their entry-level recruits would actually survive: historically, salaries were considered “clothing money”. She said it with an outraged laugh, and I thought it was a joke, but I quickly realized she was right. When I was hired at Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1997, I was making $25,000 a year for a job that required a college degree, industry experience, and often more than 60 hours a week. I could have made more money as a temp. Over the years, publishers have remained reluctant to raise salaries. In 2018, according to an industry survey by Publishers Weekly, the median salary for an editorial assistant was $38,000.

For much of its history, book publishing, especially literary book publishing, was an industry built and run by wealthy white men. One of the founders of Farrar, Straus & Giroux was Roger Straus Jr., whose mother was heiress to the Guggenheim fortune and whose paternal family ran the Macy’s department store. Grove Press was owned by Barney Rosset, whose father owned banks in Chicago. When Bennett Cerf, the son of a tobacco retail heiress, bought the modern library, which would be renamed Random House in 1927, he and his partner Donald Klopfer each paid $100,000, roughly the equivalent $1.7 million today.

Until the 1960s, American literature was shaped by the fact that black authors needed white publishers to achieve national recognition. In her recent article for Publishers Weekly, “Black Publishing in High Cotton,” Tracy Sherrod, editor of Little, Brown — who served as editorial director of the black-themed imprint Amistad Press for nine years — notes that the poet Langston Hughes and novelist Nella Larsen secured book deals in the 1920s with the help of Blanche Knopf, editor of the prestigious Alfred A. Knopf publishing house. After that, you can always name some great black authors published by New York houses. Yet white publishers did not necessarily see themselves as serving black readers.

“There is a subgenre of essay in the African-American literary tradition, which can loosely be called What White Publishers Won’t Print,” said Harvard English professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. . James Weldon Johnson and Zora Neale Hurston have written essays with this title, more or less. Gates said, “There has been nearly 100 years among black writers an awareness of the racial boundaries and biases of the American publishing industry.” Richard Wright, whose 1940 novel “Native Son” sold 215,000 copies in three weeks, for example, still had half of his 1945 memoir “Black Boy” redacted to please the Book-of-the -Month Club, which was aimed at an audience of middle-class white readers.

Under pressure from the civil rights movement, major American publishing houses made their first effort to serve a more diverse market in the 1960s. Teachers and school boards in cities like Chicago and New York demanded textbooks recognizing the stories and experiences of non-white Americans. On Capitol Hill, Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Democrat of New York, investigated the representation of minorities in class writings as part of the ad hoc subcommittee on de facto segregation in 1966. His hearings revealed that there was only one black publisher heading one of the new publisher-created textbook series: Charles F. Harris of Doubleday and Company. In response to this revelation, many publishers began recruiting black editors into their education divisions, and a few of these editors later joined general corporate business book divisions as well. “Those were the glory days,” Marie Brown, who was hired by Doubleday in 1967, told me. “We were invited in.” Among the ranks of these new recruits was future Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, who worked in a school division at Random House while writing her first novel, “The Bluest Eye.”

Who is Lobo’s daughter, Crush? DC brings a new graphic novel about a father-daughter duo

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Lobo is a bounty hunter who became a full-fledged character in the DC Universe throughout the 1990s. He is one of the most powerful villains created by Keith Giffen and Roger Slifer. The bounty hunter also made his live-action debut in the Krypton TV series in 2019.

DC brought a comic titled Crush & Lobo, featuring the Lord of Death and his daughter. The father-daughter duo had a strained relationship in the past, so now they finally have a chance to work things out between them.

The eight-series issue ran from June 2021 to January 2022. Written by Mariko Tamaki and drawn by Amancay Nahuelpan, the miniseries shows how Crush really wants to work through the issues with his father. However, The Main Man never missed an opportunity to get him in trouble.

Here are some notable things about Crush: If you’re eager to learn more about the bounty hunter’s daughter, you’ve landed in the right place.

Crush has some issues: she left the Teen Titans in a blaze of glory, her girlfriend is too good to be true, and Lobo is in space prison. For #DCPride2022, find issues 1 to 3 of Crush & Lobo – to read now for free on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE! #DCPride bit.ly/3zJK7pQ https://t.co/scXGQGTHr6

Lobo’s daughter, Crush: Struggle to find biological parents, illegal fights, etc.

Crush was born as Xiomara from Czarnia’s bounty hunter. Although born to a Czarnian, Xiomara was not considered a full Czarnian due to her human mother’s blood in her body. Moreover, what differentiated her from a Czarnian was her eyes which had pupils. Otherwise, those belonging to the Czarnian race have full red eyes.

Once coiled in a mysterious chain known as the Obelus, Xiomara crash landed on Earth during the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert. This makes his origin story quite similar to that of the noble Superman, where he was found by the Kents. However, Xiomara was found by a drug-addicted couple, Lisa and David Rojas. Although Obelus was there to protect Xiomara from danger, it allowed the pair to touch her. Therefore, they took it as an indication that the Enchanted Channel wanted them to take care of the child until his birth parents showed up. Even though the Rojas loved her as if she were his child, they couldn’t give her a safe life because their past wouldn’t let them go.

One day when Xiomara asked the Rojas about her biological parents, they told her that her biological parents were superheroes who at the time were busy saving the Universe. Consequently, she grew up thinking the same thing until she saw Lobo’s news, where he was seen fighting Superman. After the incident, she couldn’t resist going to see her biological father.

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Later, she returned home to find her adoptive parents dead and her chain missing, so she preferred to flee the place because she knew she would only be held responsible for the crime she did not commit. .

She pursued a career in illegal fighting and assumed the identity of Crush. She earned her living through fighting. Her fighting skills led to her being approached by Robin, who asked her to join Teen Titans. She agreed to join the superhero group in hopes of finding her adoptive parents’ killer.

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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 Original Artwork Auction for $2.4 Million

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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The original cover of the first issue of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller sold for $2.4 million at a Thursday Heritage Auctions salemaking it the most expensive mainstream American comic book cover sold publicly.

The cover art was a collaboration between Miller and his then-wife, Lynn Varley, featuring Batman silhouetted against an open sky by lightning. Check out the cover below.

Credit: DC Comics

Speaking of the cover’s iconography itself, Todd Hignite, Vice President of Heritage, said, “This is easily one of the most famous comic book covers of all time, and it has defined the superhero genre from the 1980s to the present moment.” Further adding, “It’s also too late for comics to be treated as the classic American art that it truly is.”

Top 30 Frank Miller Comic Book Covers

Although Heritage declined to release the identity of the buyer and seller, they said they had a lot of interest in the piece – attracting 90 bidders, both onsite and by phone, at the auction of four days of comics and comics. art which was held from Thursday to Sunday last.

Written by legendary Batman comic book writer Frank Miller (Batman: Year One, All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder), The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most beloved and influential pieces of Batman media. , being credited as the direct inspiration for Zack Snyder’s take on Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The four-issue comic book miniseries tells the alternate history of a Batman who returns from retirement to fight crime and faces opposition from the Gotham City police and the U.S. government. It brings Batman face to face with classic foes like Two-Face and the Joker and culminates in a confrontation with Superman, who is a pawn of the government.

According to Heritage, the first issue of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is the first artwork from a DC Comics title to sell for more than US$1 million. The previous record for the most expensive original Batman art sold at auction belonged to Neal Adams’ 1973 cover for Batman #251, which sold for US$600,000 at Heritage in November 2019.

In 2012, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns was adapted into animation and split into two parts. Both are considered successful adaptations of Miller’s work, and you can check out IGN’s review of both parts of the anime adaptation here.

Diego Ramos Bechara is a freelance writer for IGN.

Echoes between Spain’s NATO membership and Swedish and Finnish candidacies

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Flags fly in front of NATO headquarters in 2019. (DoD Photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

This is the latest in a series of regular columns by Robbin Laird, where he will address current defense issues through the lens of more than 45 years of defense expertise in the United States and abroad. The purpose of these chronicles: to revisit how issues and perspectives from the past should inform decisions made today.

Recently, Spain celebrated the 40th anniversary of its decision to join NATO. In a situation few believed possible in early February, the upcoming NATO summit conference in Madrid will feature major talks around Finland and Sweden pushing for membership. For those of us who lived through the push to bring Spain into the alliance in the 1980s, there are echoes that are hard to ignore.

Spain’s decision 40 years ago was seen as a referendum on Russia’s ability to keep nations in a more neutral position. It was also accompanied by serious questions about whether the Spanish government could sell membership in the alliance to a skeptical public, many of whom saw US military bases in their country as part of the fascist past, and not of the democratic future.

This skepticism emerged just four years later, when a socialist government came to power and held a national referendum on, essentially, whether to stay in NATO. After a significant debate and political dispute, the country voted in favor of the alliance, but for the moment it was far from a sure thing.

At the time, I was at the Institute for Defense Analysis, part of a team on a DoD contract that did important work with the Spanish in the run up to the NATO referendum. . We worked closely with the José Ortega y Gasset Foundation in Madrid to organize seminars and then a conference in Toledo, which brought together senior Spanish officials and commentators to discuss the way forward for Spain. A key player in our efforts has been my friend and colleague, Dr. Kenneth Maxwell, a renowned historian, who helped shape the effort, as well as my colleague Susan Clark, with whom I had initially worked for several years. at the Center for Naval Analysis and then at IDA on the evaluation of Soviet evaluations of Europe and the Alliance. (A discussion of our work dealing with Spain and defense during this period was provided in Maxwell’s 1991 book.)

We had discovered a very useful and little-known Soviet General Staff publication that provided detailed assessments of European NATO nations and their forces. We took a close look at the articles in this publication, which then gave an insight into how the Soviet military actually viewed the state and role of Western European military forces and how the Soviets would try to deal with these forces in the event of a general war.

We first used the information collected in the publication to generate perspective on how the Soviets viewed France and how they assessed the impact of French military and deterrence policy within the alliance. We discovered that they take these capabilities seriously enough to plan counter-actions at the start of any major conflict, rather than waiting for the outcome of a campaign on the inner German border. This assessment was read carefully by the French government and impacted the thinking of the Mitterrand administration and became part of my commitment to working with the French government as well as in the evolution of administration policy. Mitterrand towards the Soviet Union.

We discovered something similar with regard to Spain and its impact on the military options for the United States and NATO, and began to realize that from the Soviet point of view, the ability to use the territory Spanish in a wider European campaign meant almost certain defeat for Moscow. . They would face both a northern and southern European logistical route, which would indeed make it very difficult to defeat the United States and the Europeans. Susan presented the results of the evaluation at the Toledo conference, and it had a major impact on the Spanish public.

The key point here: Engage in an honest discussion about the threats posed by adversaries and find common ground, and it will help make a much better case with allies. And the Spaniards remained allies, and they brought with them new ways of thinking about NATO operations.

The Spanish government and elite have made very specific military reform efforts to shape their path within NATO, especially after going through the Franco period. These reform efforts not only shaped how Spain prepared for its role in European defense, but also had repercussions for other European allies. There was simply no linear projection of the military past under Franco on how Spain would reshape its forces and strategy within the framework of NATO and then the European Union,

RELATED: What Finland will bring to NATO – and how it could change the alliance

We are now faced with the prospect of Sweden and Finland joining NATO. Like Spain, these latest NATO expansion partners were never part of the Warsaw Pact. But their entry breaks decades of tradition – neutrality and “Finlandization” – which, like Francoism, made them distinctive within Europe. And each has native defense industries that have supported their ability to defend themselves. The arrival of Sweden and Finland will not resemble eastward expansion, but rather Spanish development, in which older national traditions are redefined and new defense approaches shaped. And that means for NATO that the alliance will be changed significantly.

As a result, expect NATO to emerge from this month’s Madrid conference with a new strategic concept, albeit a preliminary one at best. The Russians are rewriting European history in Ukraine, and Sweden and Finland will be key players both in interpreting that history and in reshaping how Europe will act in politics in the future. defense and security. As sovereign states with a long history, like Spain before it, their national traditions will reshape the European and transatlantic approach in ways not yet known.

Congratulations to the foundation for the library program | News, Sports, Jobs

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Reaching young minds takes a bit of creativity, and it looks like the folks at Marietta Community Foundation are up to the challenge. With the creation of the first library in the Laundromat Libraries program, the group has found another way to be where children need it most.

“We’re just happy to be able to provide a way to encourage young minds to cultivate a love of reading, because it’s such an important step in the learning process,” said Frank and Judy Lang, owners of Old Town Express Laundry on Pike Street. “Plus, it gives them something constructive to do.”

Anyone who has spent time waiting for loads of laundry to pass through a commercial laundry knows that it can feel like a long time until the last load is folded and wrapped. For a child, it might as well be an eternity. But the library supported by the Dwight K. and Dorothy S. Hays Memorial Fund can make a difference. So are the books it contains, which come from donations made to the Toys for Tots literacy program upon payment to The UPS Store Marietta. UPS purchased approximately 1,000 Scholastic books, intended for kindergarten through seventh grade.

“We know that people frequently bring their children with them to the laundromat and spend at least an hour there,” Heather Allender, director of the foundation, said. “It will help keep the kids busy with something positive while they’re away and still at home if they choose to keep the book.”

Combined with the foundation’s efforts through the Imagination Library, the Laundromat Libraries program is another example of the focus on helping kids learn to love reading — and giving them the tools they need. to keep growing with the books.

Kudos to those who have worked to make such an important resource available.



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Antique Dealer Sues His Alamo Book – ARTnews.com

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Alexander McDuffie, a Texas-based antiques dealer, and Joseph Musso, an artist and historian, are suing the authors of a book about the Alamo for allegedly suggesting they forged artifacts and inflated their prices.

The authors of Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth are Bryan Burrough, journalist for vanity lounge; Chris Tomlinson, columnist for the Houston Chronicle; and Jason Stanford, policy consultant and communications manager. Penguin Random House and the newspaper Texas monthly were also cited as defendants.

Forget the Alamo discusses the origins of the legend of the Battle of the Alamo, how history was altered and twisted in the Jim Crow era, and how revisionists attempted to set the record straight hour on the actual events concerning this Texan origin myth.

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“The plaintiffs in this case made a mistake: they trusted a journalist who came to question them on a subject on which they have a great deal of passion and expertise: the authentication of artefacts which could have a link with the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo,” reads the complaint. “Although this reporter promised that he would leave the project before allowing his co-writers to say anything negative about the plaintiffs or their work, the book that was eventually published…contained material misrepresentations, mischaracterizations and omissions.”

Plaintiffs’ attorney Melynda Nuss said she and her clients are currently unable to comment.

Over the course of the book, the authors included a section on memorabilia from the battle, and that’s where McDuffie and Musso stepped in as resident experts on artifacts from that era.

The book was released on June 8, 2021. Prior to the publication of the book, Texas monthly released an excerpt accompanied by the title “Come and Fake It?” when it appeared in print. McDuffie reportedly filed requests for corrections with Dan Goodgame, the story’s editor, but the lawsuit indicates that McDuffie was unhappy with the corrections Goodgame was willing to make. The article was eventually updated to include numerous corrections.

The book and article reportedly suggested that McDuffie may have added an inscription to a knife that may have belonged to William Barrett Travis, a Texas Army lieutenant colonel, and that he had a close relationship with Alfred Van Fossen. , an antiques dealer with a reputation for selling questionable artifacts.

“In fact,” the complaint states, “Van Fossen ended their relationship by stealing a painting from McDuffie and selling it.”

Dan Goodgame, editor of texas monthlyy, believes that it has made enough corrections.

“Before publishing a long excerpt from a new book, Forget the Alamo, Texas Monthly has carefully checked the facts in this excerpt,” Goodgame wrote in an emailed statement. “After we published it, Alex McDuffie and Joseph Musso told us about several passages they considered inaccurate or unfair. After further research, we corrected some factual errors in the excerpt and allowed complainants to further express their views on other issues in dispute.We have conducted our work with care and fairness, and we intend to take this matter to court.

The complaint alleges that the book greatly harmed McDuffie’s business. According to the suit, McDuffie was making $150,000 a year before the book was released. In the year after it was released, it earned $98,000.

Musso is not a dealer and therefore has not suffered damages for any company, but the lawsuit claims his character was called into question as a result of the snippet.

Images of Atlanta and Station Eleven: Inside the Worlds of Hiro Murai

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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The past few years have been eventful for Hiro Murai. After transitioning from directing music videos to directing for television, he found immediate critical acclaim as an Emmy-nominated producer-director on Atlanta and a guest director on Barry, Legion, and Snowfall. But nothing could have prepared him for the back-to-back challenges that he and the cinematographer Christian Sprenger were initially gearing up in late 2019 and early 2020. First, they would be responsible for launching HBO Max’s limited series adaptation of the hit novel. Station Eleven, which follows a group of survivors of a catastrophic pandemic. They would follow this by going to Europe to do the unthinkable and take Atlanta out of Atlanta. And then came the cruellest twist: a real pandemic.

“Even without doing station eleven, 2020 has been such a weird and unsettling experience,” admits Murai. “We were done [filming] our two episodes and we were in the edit when COVID hit the US. It’s such a weird thing because episode one, in particular, is about the outbreak and how people are reacting, and we were live-checked on what would happen. Like, ‘Oh, the grocery stores aren’t going to be empty, they’re going to be full, and people are going to be buying toilet paper, for some reason.’ But it also reinforced our readiness and our approach to the show: it’s so much about our need for community and human connection, and those are all things we’ve felt viscerally as the pandemic has spread.

Murai’s station eleven first episode, “Wheel of Fire”, often feels dark and surreal, especially when it premiered in December as the latest wave of COVID has begun. But, helped by the author Emily St. John MandelMurai and company found hope in a dark place, believing that station eleven was not about the dead, but rather about the survivors and the communities they formed.

Speaking of community, the COVID pandemic has delayed Murai and Strenger’s return to their close bond. Atlanta family. Murai first worked with Atlanta brain Donald Glover in 2013 when he directed the multihyphenate short film Applauding for the wrong reasons and the “3005” music video. This partnership continued on Childish Gambino’s future projects, such as the Grammy-winning visuals for “This Is America.” So when Glover got the chance to create his own series, he turned to Murai, who helmed 14 episodes in the show’s first two seasons. which included the hit series climax “Teddy Perkins,” for which Murai earned an Emmy nomination, while Strenger won the Emmy for Cinematography. For many Atlanta changed the television game, from the way it explores race in America to its unique narrative and visual style. “I really didn’t know what we had because I started doing TV with Atlanta, and then I realized that was not the norm at all,” says Murai.

Maybe that’s why sometimes Atlanta season three felt like a collection of shorts as opposed to a traditional television season. Four of the 10 installments were standalone stories that were essentially unrelated to the main Atlanta characters, and didn’t feature any of the usual main cast, other than a very brief appearance by Glover in the premiere.

Taking us into their separate worlds, Murai and Sprenger talk about how they made dinner parties fun again, turned a dog into a human, and reached for “the heart.” Atlanta” with the help of Justin Barta.

Courtesy of HBO Max

A cold world

station eleven begins with a night at a Chicago theater that takes a deadly turn. When movie star became theater actor Arthur Leander (Gael Garcia Bernal) collapses, for some reason, Jeevan (Himesh Patel) – not a doctor – rushes to help. But Arthur dies in front of the public and in front of his partners, including young Kirsten (Mathilde Lawler). Abandoned by her “wrestling child” in the chaos, Kirsten walks home from Jeevan – a small good deed that becomes a life-changing commitment as a deadly flu pandemic begins to take hold.

“A big part of the show for us was seeing this viral pandemic happen from a very limited, street-level perspective,” Murai says of the shot, in which Jeevan and Kirsten meet a girl. car idling after hitting a tree. “This is the first time Jeevan has really seen the effects of the pandemic in real life. And the way Christian lit and staged it, we wanted them to feel like they were seeing an injured animal in nature. So even though it’s a car, it swerves and brushes against that tree. It was an evocative moment that I think was a good example of how we wanted to treat the experience of the spectacle.

The Bookseller – Rights – HQ picks up Grace and Porter’s guide to quitting smoking and vaping

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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HQ has picked up a guide to quitting smoking and vaping from Annie Grace and William Porter.

Editor-in-chief Nira Begum has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Laura Bonner at WME for This naked mind: nicotine. It will be released on December 8, 2022.

The publisher said: “Following the success of This naked mindAnnie Grace’s guide to taking control of your relationship with alcohol, This naked mind: nicotine seeks to offer an alternative to the usual pathways to quit smoking and vaping, and aims to help the millions of people who are trying to quit. With the latest scientific research, logic and humor, Annie Grace and William Porter provide a positive and permanent path to being nicotine free.

Grace said: “Volition-based behavior change is difficult. But when you learn new facts, as presented in our book, your desire may actually change. And without desire, there is no temptation. William and I are especially excited to expand this important conversation to create a paradigm shift as nicotine is reintroduced into our society at alarming levels, especially among young people, in the new vehicle of the vape pen.

Begum added: “Annie’s This naked mind program had immense power to transform people’s lives. And with this new book on nicotine, with the brilliant William Porter, they will be able to reach a new generation of smokers and vapers to understand the mechanics of desire and the temptation to change habits and give up for good. I am happy to publish them.

8 underrated performances of modern box office bombs

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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A good or bad run at the box office isn’t always indicative of a film’s true quality. Movies can be a smash hit on their opening weekends, but be forgotten overnight, and vice versa. Cult classics, for example, show how a movie can slowly become beloved over time, despite how well it performed when it was originally released.



RELATED: 7 Underrated Movies That Ultimately Became Cult Classics

Box office failure can happen for many reasons, whether it’s due to poor or untimely marketing or cinemas closing due to the recent global pandemic. Whatever the reason they underperformed, box office bombshells can sometimes contain standout performances from some of the best in the business, performances that audiences would neglect to overlook.

COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Brad Pitt in “Ad Astra” (2019)

ad astra is an Academy Award-nominated science fiction drama directed by James Gray. Released in 2019, the film features brad pitt as Roy McBride, an astronaut who travels through space to find his missing father, who disappeared while researching the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Pitt — an accomplished actor capable of pulling off both charismatic criminal and action hero — is careful to portray the conflicted McBride. Despite his efforts, ad astra only grossed $135 million worldwide, making it a box office bomb, considering its $80-100 million budget. And yet, the film received positive reviews; according to review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, ad astra holds an impressive 83% approval rating. It’s possible that Pitt’s work here was overshadowed by the release of Once upon a time in Hollywooda historical comedy-drama film (which also highlighted the fight club and Se7fr star) directed and published by Quentin Tarantino that same year.


Ariana DeBose in “West Side Story” (2021)

West Side Story is Steven Spielberg2021 adaptation of the romantic musical drama of the same name. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the biggest modern box office bombs, grossing $76 million worldwide against a production budget of $100 million.

The film’s commercial failure upon release is a terrible disgrace for apparent reasons, but more particularly because of the stellar performance of Ariana DeBose, who plays Anita in the Spielberg film. The hamilton The star was so unquestionably brilliant that she won both the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anita. Underrated may not be the word for DeBose’s efforts, but given the film’s disappointing commercial success, it’s obvious that not many people testified to DeBose’s talent.


Ana de Armas in ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2017)

Now a household name for appearances in recent hits like Knives out and no time to die, Ana de Armas play in Blade Runner 2049the 2017 sequel to the classic 1982 sci-fi film blade runner. Despite critical acclaim and massive earnings, the film’s worldwide earnings of $259 million were a disappointment compared to its sizable production budget of $150–185 million.

Under the direction of Denis Villeneuve (Dunes), de Armas plays Joi, the holographic sidekick of the film’s protagonist K (Ryan Gosling). The film sees de Armas playing not only K’s virtual girlfriend, but also the various other versions of the artificial intelligence that appear throughout the film. His hard work is largely overshadowed by the more extensive and significant appearances in the story of Harrison Fordby Deckard and Jared Letois Niander Wallace, but that doesn’t make his performance any less impressive.


Charlie Hunnam in “The Lost City of Z” (2016)

Director James Gray can’t get a break. before leading ad astradirected by Gray The Lost City of Z, another box office bomb. A biographical drama about one man’s attempts to find a hidden town in the Amazon rainforest, the 2016 film failed to recoup its $30 million production expense, grossing just $19 million worldwide. .

movie stars Charlie Hunnam as real-life explorer Percy Fawcett. Hunnam convincingly conveys the ambition and inner restlessness of the British adventurer and works alongside other recognizable stars, Robert Pattinson (The Batman), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Coming Home), and Ian McDiarmid (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) in Gray’s film. Despite its cast and positive reception (the film holds an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes), The Lost City of ZThe disappointing performance of means that, in this instance, Hunnam and the rest of the cast have gone largely unseen.


Cillian Murphy in “Sunshine” (2007)

After playing Thomas Shelby on the hit TV series Peaky Blinders and appearing in films like Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, Creation, Cillian Murphy is now a household name. However, it is not clear whether Sunshine contributed to Murphy’s status as one of the film and television industry’s most respected actors, as the 2007 sci-fi thriller underperformed financially upon release. The film grossed $32 million worldwide, slightly short of its $40 million production budget.

Realized by Danny Boyle (28 days later), Sunshine follows the desperate mission of a group of astronauts attempting to rekindle the dying Sun. Murphy shines as physicist Robert Capa and was nominated for the 2007 British Independent Film Award for Best Actor. Sunshine features an ensemble cast with the likes of Chris Evans (Captain America: Civil War), michelle yeo (Everything everywhere all at once), and Benoit Wong (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), although Murphy’s performance is incredibly compelling.


Karl Urban in “Dredd” (2012)

With the excitement building around future projects like DC’s black adam and Marvel Studios Thor: Love and Thunder, comic book movies are all the rage. Despite the MCU’s long arc reaching its zenith with Avengers: Endgamein 2019, shows like the Disney Plus series Ms. Marvel are always published with great success. It’s a shame that 2012 is Dred, or “Dredd 3D”, did not meet with the same fanfare. Realized by Pete Travisand written by Alex Garland (of Annihilation fame), the action-packed cinematic revival of the ruthless Judge Dredd only grossed $41 million on an estimated $30-45 million budget. The film’s mature rating likely contributed to its disappointing box office returns, but the comic book flick has developed a cult following since its release.

RELATED: Why ‘Dredd’ Is An Underrated Adult Superhero Movie

It should be noted the adoration of his fans for the cast of the film, which includes stars like Lena Headey (game of thrones) and Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man). But it would be a crime not to admit it Karl Urban (The boys) shines as the titular character. Although Judge Dredd is somewhat reserved and to the point, Urban’s nuanced portrayal of the ruthless enforcer might be one of the actor’s best performances yet.

Asa Butterfield in “Hugo” (2011)

Realized by Martin Scorsese and boasting a cast that included the likes of Ben Kingley (Schindler’s list), Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick ass), and Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), 2011 Hugo seemed like a surefire hit. Unfortunately, Scorsese’s film only made $185 million, making it a commercial failure against its estimated $150 million budget. But a highlight of the film was undoubtedly the performance of Asa Butterfield like the eponymous Hugo Cabret.

At just thirteen years old, Butterfield made the lead role his own, moving audiences with a touching portrayal of a boy drawn to the real-world filmmaker’s world and legacy. Georges Méliès. Despite HugoButterfield’s performance at the box office helped propel Butterfield’s career to new heights. The actor went on to star in major movies and TV shows like Ender’s game and those of Netflix Sex education.

Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master” (2014)

Paul Thomas Andersonpsychological drama The master explores the relationship between Navy veteran Freddie Quell and Lancaster Dodd, the L. Ron Hubbard-like leader of a religious movement dubbed “The Cause.” Despite its thought-provoking subject matter and peerless performances by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman (of The hunger Games movies) and Amy Adams (Arrival), The master ultimately underperformed at the box office, earning $50 million worldwide against its $37 million production budget.

Relatively small box office gains didn’t stop Joaquin Phoenix to give one of the best performances of his career. Although the Gladiator and Joker star is no stranger to commercial success, the fact that audiences have missed out on some of his best work proves that Phoenix remains one of the industry’s most underrated actors.

KEEP READING: The Best Hidden Gems and Underrated Movies on Netflix Right Now

Kadokawa and Yen Press Team Up to Publish Original Dark Souls Novel

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Did you manage to escape the embrace imposed by Ring of Elden and seek to return to the world of FROM Software’s second action-RPG dark souls? In an announcement from Yen Press, it was confirmed that they and Kadokawa will hold a simultaneous release of Dark Souls: Mask of Vindication in English and Japanese. This will be the very first simultaneous print release between the two publishing houses.

Written by author Michael A. Stackpole, Dark Souls: Mask of Vindication look for “[expand] the myth of the game” and “[give] the millions of dedicated fans who made the franchise a phenomenon an opportunity to revisit the epic adventure and settings that captured their imaginations with fresh eyes“.

Dark Souls: Mask of Vindication will be released worldwide through print and digital channels on October 25, 2022. Kadokawa Corporation will handle the Japanese version, while Yen Press will focus on the English version.

You can read more about the book below:

In an underground tomb, a man who should have been dead wakes up in the dark,
gradually coming to his senses—

He forgot his past, including his name. In view of the considerable efforts made to ensure its
confinement, his resurrection may have been anticipated, but the remains of the grave robber
it is his only companion can give a clue as to his awakening. When the corpse of
thief stands against him, a wizard’s instincts emerge, and he puts him down with a flash of
light from his palm. At this gesture, the memories of the corpse cross him,
rekindle a sense of himself…

The desert night stretches beyond the graveyard, and the starry sky tells the wizard
that a long time has passed since his death. Named Ferranos after the
meaningless word carved outside his grave and armed with a dagger from a failed grave
thief, he embarks on an epic adventure guided by fate.

Carmine St.’s other saint receives the boot – New York Daily News

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Jim Drougas has been selling cheap books on Carmine St. for so long that the Krazy Kat collections my 10-year-old daughter falls asleep to are the ones I bought there when I was maybe five years older than her now.

Unoppressive, Non-Imperialist Bargain Books is the only bookstore around – and there aren’t many yet – with separate sections for William Blake and Bob Dylan, not to mention shelves of cartoon collections ranging from R. Crumb at Scrooge McDuck, with everything going for a fraction of its selling price.

It’s an eighth of a mile of books, Jim likes to say, riffing on the Strand’s famous “18 miles of books,” all carefully chosen so that browsing the store feels a bit like taking a mind tour.

Jim Drougas, owner of Bargain Books (Harry Siegel)

“There is never too much money, there is always just enough,” he said in “34 Carmine Street”, a terrific short documentary from 2021 about Jim and his shop and the last bohemian businesses in the village hanging on and earning the rent.

After running a bookstore in town for High Times founder and wholesale pot smuggler Tom Forçade in the 1980s, Jim opened Unoppressive Books in 1991, with rent around $1,000.

There was a large section of civil service exam prep books for a while, from another vendor who rented shelves for guides to help you pass a test that could determine the course of your life. A book on the NYPD Sergeant’s Examination would be opposite a volume of “Jerusalem: Emanation of Giant Albion” written and hand-drawn by Blake – the original graphic novel? – with his famous exhortation on how “I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man”.

After the stock market crash of 2008, Jim brought in a comic book store as a subtenant sharing the space until the comic book store stopped paying rent, then a psychic with a glorious sign at the neon in one of its windows.

But the psychic didn’t see the pandemic coming, and now it’s just Jim — whose store also briefly housed the Occupy Wall Street library — against a new owner who bought the building last year, has already gutted upstairs tenants and wants $10,500 commercial rent plus rent arrears from the pandemic, and no subtenants, or else to have non-oppressive books by the end of the month .

The last time Jim’s lease ended, just after Occupy, the then landlord wanted a three-month down payment on a new, more expensive lease, so Jim asked his friends Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly if they knew someone who wanted to buy some original R. Crumb artwork that he had. They presented him with the money instead.

“It was extraordinarily generous,” says Jim. “I managed to hold on once again. I finally sold Crumb’s art to pay for my daughter’s college.

This lease ended last September, months after the sale of the building. “We tried to negotiate a new lease all last year, but in the end all they gave us was a break to allow us to stay until June.”

This news fell a few weeks ago, from a blogger specializing in grieving a lost New York, and since then it’s been busy with people coming to tell Jim great stories about himself. and on Unoppressive Books, and usually come away with a few more of these books.

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While Our Lady of Pompeii across the street at 25 Carmine St. anticipates the canonization by Pope Francis of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Scalabrini, the unofficial patron saint of New York immigrants, Reverend Billy and his Stop Shopping Choir canonized Jim the Bookseller of New Earth Church on E. 5th St. in Alphabet City last week. It was exhilarating, Jim said.

But visiting the store now feels a bit like an eerie memorial service – one where “the deceased” is alive and well and not ready to move on from his days as a bookseller.

Instead, Jim tries to find a well-to-do, civic-minded celebrity or book lover or maybe a Scrooge McDuck guy willing to pay a paltry sum to be seen as such to help him create a new location for Unoppressive Books, conveniently in the Village.

“The math isn’t there,” says Jim. “It’s not for a real estate investor. I don’t mean it’s exactly charity, but it’s for someone who would be happy not to lose money owning a property.

If you’re such a New Yorker, or just want to hit up one of the few remaining bookstores worth checking out, head to 34 Carmine St. anytime between 11 a.m. and (at least) 10 p.m. , before it is too late.

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the right people and places after they’re gone or after you’ve decided to call it quits. But it’s better to appreciate them while they’re here and help keep them here.

[email protected]

Dom Phillips, British correspondent in Brazil, dies at 57

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Dom Phillips, a Brazil-based British journalist who had written for the Washington Post, the Guardian and other news outlets and was a leading columnist of the devastating environmental effects of deforestation in the Amazon, died in the remote valley from Javari, in western Brazil, where he was looking for a book. He was 57 years old.

According to media reports, he and Bruno Araújo Pereira, an expert on the country’s indigenous peoples, were traveling by boat on the Itaquai River in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, known in recent years for increasing violence by illegal fishermen, loggers and drug traffickers. Both men were last seen alive on June 5.

Police announced on Friday that human remains recovered from a remote forest belonged to Mr Phillips. A fisherman this week confessed to killing the journalist and his traveling companion, police said, and led investigators to a remote location where the remains were buried.

Authorities have not announced whether another set of human remains collected belong to Pereira, but testing continues. No cause of death has been confirmed, but police say it is likely the men were shot. At least two men are in custody and police expect more arrests to be made soon.

Mr Phillips, a former music journalist in England, had lived in Brazil since 2007. He learned Portuguese and married a Brazilian and lived in São Paolo, Rio de Janeiro and more recently Salvador, the capital of the state of northeast of Bahia.

He was a versatile journalist who wrote about politics, poverty and cultural developments in Brazil. As a contributor to The Post from 2014 to 2016, he covered the country’s preparations for the World Cup soccer tournament and the 2016 Summer Olympics. He then examined whether the Games had conferred an advantage sustainability in Rio de Janeiro.

“Three months after the successful hosting of the Summer Olympics, Brazil’s cultural hub is set to soar,” he wrote in The Post. “Instead, it’s a financial, political and criminal mess.”

Mr. Phillips was particularly drawn to the plight of Brazil’s natural world and the indigenous peoples living deep within the Amazon rainforest. He traveled across the country to report on deforestation, as farmers and other business interests destroyed large swaths of Brazil’s once-dense rainforests. He led the Guardian’s investigation into large cattle ranches established on cleared forest land.

“Dom is one of the most ethical and courageous journalists I know,” Andrew Fishman, an American journalist working in Brazil, told the Latin American news service CE Noticias Financieras. “He has always been extremely rigorous in his work and incisive in his analyses.”

In 2019, Mr Phillips asked Bolsonaro about deforestation in the countryside. Bolsonaro, who favors mining and other business developments, replied: “First of all, you have to understand that the Amazon belongs to Brazil, not to you.”

A video of the exchange caused a stir among Bolosanaro supporters, who used it to promote their view that the president was being attacked by the media.

“Dom was very shaken by this video,” Fishman said. “He felt it put a target on his back and made his job more difficult.”

In 2018, Mr Phillips joined Pereira and photographer Gary Calton on a 17-day trip to the Amazon – nearly 600 miles by boat and a 45-mile trek on foot – as Pereira, then a government official, attempted to take contact with isolated people. Aboriginal groups.

“As he crouches in the mud by a fire,” Mr Phillips wrote in an evocative story for the Guardian, “Bruno Pereira, an official with the Brazilian government’s indigenous agency, opens the boiled skull of a monkey with a spoon and eats its brains for breakfast as he discusses politics.

Mr Phillips dubbed some of the people he met “the ninjas of this forest, [who] are as protective as they are at home. They fish for piranhas and hunt, butcher and cook birds, monkeys, sloths and boars to eat them.

When a local man was asked if agricultural development and mining should be allowed in indigenous territories, he replied: “No. We take care of our land.

Mr. Phillips has returned to the Javari Valley several times to conduct research for a book tentatively titled “How to Save the Amazon”. He received a grant from the Alicia Patterson Foundation to help fund his reporting.

In recent years, the region had become increasingly dangerous, with more than 150 environmental activists killed in Brazil between 2009 and 2020, according to the Latin American journalism project Tierra de Resistentes.

After Mr Phillips and Pereira failed to show up for a meeting scheduled for June 5, Aboriginal people reported a boat following them.

Mr Phillips’ wife, Alessandra Sampaio, has called on the Brazilian government to act quickly to find her husband and Pereira. Brazilian celebrities, including soccer star Pelé, joined the public appeal. News outlets – such as The Post, The Guardian and The New York Times, all of which Mr Phillips had written for – published an open letter demanding that the Brazilian government “urgently intensify and fully fund its efforts” to find men.

When Bolsonaro was informed of their disappearance, he seemed to suggest that they were at fault.

“Anything can happen,” he said. “It could have been an accident. They could have been executed.”

After the discovery of their remains, Bolsonaro said: “This Englishman was not liked in the region. … He should have more than redoubled the precautions he was taking. And he decided to go on an excursion instead.

The statement caused an uproar in Brazil and abroad.

“The victims are not the culprits,” one of Bolsonaro’s political opponents, Orlando Silva, said in a tweet.

Dominic Mark Phillips was born on July 23, 1964 in Bebington, a town near Liverpool in the Merseyside region of northwest England. He left college to travel in the 1980s and lived in Israel, Greece, Denmark and Australia, taking odd jobs including picking fruit, working as a chef and cleaning a meat factory.

He became a devotee of a form of electronic dance music called house, and in the late 1980s helped found an art magazine in Bristol, England. He moved to London in 1990 and worked as an editor at Mixmag, a magazine chronicling house music. He coined the term “progressive house” to describe “a new breed of harsh but melodious, hard-hitting but reflective, uplifting and trancey British house”.

He left publishing in 1999 to produce documentaries and music videos. In 2009 he published ‘DJ Superstars Here We Go!’, a book described in a Guardian review as ‘in part, a memoir of his days in clubs and after-parties awash in champagne, vodka, cocaine and alcohol. ‘ecstasy’.

Mr Phillips first visited Brazil in 1998. After settling there nine years later, he largely abandoned his nightlife habits and often rose before dawn to stand -up paddle on the waterways.

“On the one hand, it’s like being in Europe or America,” he said in a 2008 interview with DMCWorld magazine, a music publication. “On the other hand, it’s completely different – like entering a glass world where everything looks the same but is actually upside down, upside down, upside down, whatever. … The best thing about this country is the people — they’re really open, friendly and positive. They love the music. Rich or poor, they do their best to make the most of life.

In addition to his wife, the survivors include a sister and a brother.

Mr Phillips turned down several high-profile job offers, preferring to stay in Brazil as a freelance writer, contributing to the Financial Times, Bloomberg News and football magazines. He was well known to international journalists and taught English and volunteered in poor neighborhoods.

“He enjoys seeing the impact of his work on people’s lives,” Cecília Olliveira, founder of Fogo Cruzado, a website documenting violence in Brazil, told CE Noticias Financieras. “He likes to do journalism that makes a difference, that exposes abuse, that helps protect those in need of protection.”

Terrence McCoy in Brazil contributed to this report.

Google’s AI passed the Turing test – and showed how broken it is

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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In 1950, computer genius Alan Turing came up with a thought experiment he called the Imitation Game. An investigator converses via a typewriter with two subjects, knowing that one is human and the other a machine. If a machine could consistently fool the interviewer into thinking it was the human, Turing suggested, we could talk about it as capable of something like thinking.

If machines could Actually to think, Turing believed, was a matter “too meaningless to merit discussion”. Nevertheless, the “Turing test” has become a benchmark in artificial intelligence. Over the decades, various computer programs have competed to pass it using cheap conversational tricks, with some success.

In recent years, wealthy tech companies such as Google, Facebook, and OpenAI have developed a new class of computer programs called “big language models,” with conversational capabilities far beyond the rudimentary chatbots of yore. One such model, Google’s LaMDA, convinced Google engineer Blake Lemoine that it’s not just smart, but aware and sensitive.

If Lemoine was won over by LaMDA’s realistic answers, it seems plausible that many others with far less understanding of artificial intelligence, AI, could be too – a testament to its potential as a tool of deception and manipulation, in the wrong hands.

For many in the field, then, LaMDA’s remarkable aptitude for Turing imitation play is nothing to celebrate. On the contrary, it shows that the venerable test has survived its use as a benchmark for artificial intelligence.

The Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to life

“These tests don’t really hit intelligence,” said Gary Marcus, cognitive scientist and co-author of the book “Rebooting AI.” It is the capacity of a given software to pass for human, at least under certain conditions. Which, come to think of it, might not be such a good thing for society.

“I don’t think that’s a step up in intelligence,” Marcus said of programs like LaMDA generating prose or human conversation. “It’s a breakthrough to deceive people that you have intelligence.”

Lemoine may be an outlier among his peers in the industry. Google and outside AI experts say the program doesn’t and couldn’t have anything like the inner life it imagines. We don’t have to worry about LaMDA’s upcoming transformation into Skynet, the malevolent spirit of the Terminator movies.

But now that we live in the world predicted by Turing, there is another set to worry about: a world in which computer programs are advanced enough to make people feel like they own their own agency. , even if they don’t in fact.

State-of-the-art artificial intelligence programs, such as OpenAI’s GPT-3 text generator and DALL-E 2 image generator, focus on generating eerily human-like creations based on huge sets of data and vast computing power. They represent a far more powerful and sophisticated approach to software development than was possible when programmers in the 1960s gave a chatbot called ELIZA canned responses to various verbal cues in an attempt to trick human interlocutors. And they may have commercial applications in everyday tools, such as search engines, autocomplete suggestions, and voice assistants like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa.

We asked a computer program to imitate Gay Talese’s handwriting. Next, we asked Talese what he thought about it.

It should also be noted that the AI ​​industry has largely abandoned the use of the Turing test as an explicit benchmark. Designers of large language models are now aiming for high scores on tests such as the General Language Understanding Assessment, or GLUE, and the Stanford Question Answer Dataset, or SQuAD. And unlike ELIZA, LaMDA was not built with the specific intention of passing as human; it’s just very good at putting together and spitting out plausible answers to all sorts of questions.

Yet beneath this sophistication, today’s models and tests share with the Turing test the underlying goal of producing results that are as humane as possible. This “arms race,” as AI ethicist Margaret Mitchell called it in a Chat Spaces Twitter with Washington Post reporters on Wednesday, came at the expense of all sorts of other possible goals for language models. This includes ensuring that their operation is understandable and that they do not mislead people or inadvertently reinforce harmful biases. Mitchell and his former colleague Timnit Gebru were fired by Google in 2021 and 2020, respectively, after they co-authored an article highlighting these and other risks from major language models.

Google fired its star artificial intelligence researcher a year ago. Now she is launching her own institute.

While Google has distanced itself from Lemoine’s claims, he and other industry leaders have at other times celebrated their systems’ ability to fool people, as Jeremy Kahn pointed out this week in its Fortune newsletter, “Eye on AI” at a public event in 2018, for example, the company proudly released recordings of a voice assistant called Duplex, with verbal tics like “umm” and “mm-hm” , who tricked receptionists into thinking it was a human when calling to make appointments. (After a backlash, Google promised the system would identify itself as automated.)

“The most troubling legacy of the Turing test is ethical: the test is fundamentally about deception,” Kahn wrote. “And here the impact of the field test has been very real and disturbing.”

Kahn reiterated a call, often voiced by critics and AI commentators, to withdraw the Turing test and move on. Of course, the industry has already done this, in the sense that it has replaced the Imitation Game with more scientific benchmarks.

But Lemoine’s story suggests that the Turing test might serve a different purpose in an age when machines are increasingly adept at sounding like humans. Rather than being an ambitious standard, the Turing test should serve as an ethical red flag: any system capable of passing it carries the danger of misleading people.

11 of the best tech books for summer 2022

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Welcome to the long, hot summer of 2022. Hopefully workloads lighten up a bit, COVID-19 case counts start to drop, and you get some beach time (or beach time). the couch) to catch up on your reading. If you love tech, there’s a wide selection of new titles to choose from, including new books on the Metaverse, the future of mobility, and Silicon Valley’s role in bridging the digital divide.

Here is fast businessThe 2022 tech title picks that are perfect for your reading pleasure this summer.

Building: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worthwhile
By Tony Fadell, published on May 3, 2022
Tony Fadell was part of the team at General Magic that imagined and built the precursor to 90s smartphones. He later led the teams at Apple that created the iPod and iPhone, both of which ushered in major changes in the way we entertain ourselves and organize our information. To build is a container for many of the lessons Fadell has learned about leadership, design, startups, decision-making, mentoring, failure and success in his 30+ years of experience in Silicon Valley . He imparts this knowledge through real-life stories of being in the room when some of technology’s most important products were created. Perhaps Fadell’s great insight is that you don’t have to reinvent everything from scratch to create something great. Some old-school, time-tested principles of collaboration and management can pave the way for the greatest breakthroughs in technology. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence
By Amy B. Zegart, published February 1, 2022
Covering a history from George Washington and the Revolutionary War to space satellites, Amy Zegart explores how the development of American espionage now faces a digital revolution capable of transforming everything we think we know about espionage. According to Zegart, it is private citizens, those who can track nuclear threats using only Google Earth, who can show us how technology has created vast discoveries and many new enemies. For anyone ready to experience the dark and rapidly changing state of espionage, Spies, lies and algorithms is for you. —Grace Buono, editorial intern

After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul
By Tripp Mickle, published on June 3, 2022
Author Tripp Mickle, a veteran Apple journalist who has published numerous stories about the company, took a close look at the drastic changes that have taken place at America’s favorite tech company since the death of its co-founder and chief. witty Steve Jobs in 2011. After Steve tells the untold story of the rise of the company’s chief operating officer turned CEO, Tim Cook, and the waning influence of design chief Jony Ive, whom Jobs considered his spiritual parent. Mickle interviewed hundreds of people in and around the company to describe major events in the Cook era, as well as answer big questions about how Apple could develop groundbreaking new products as its profits swerve. from the iPhone. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

Road to Nowhere: Silicon Valley and the future of mobility
By Paris Marx, released on July 5, 2022
Writer Paris Marx takes a critical look at Silicon Valley’s utopian proposals for the future of transportation. By examining the history of mass mobility in the United States and the various contracts and subsidies awarded to the transportation industry by the federal government, Marx paints a picture of a sector gone crazy, which offers high-quality solutions (otherwise unlikely) that conveniently ignore the issue of accessibility. But more than a ride-hailing service or an underground tunnel, Marx argues, we need to put our energy into improving public transit and better prioritizing the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. It’s a scathing read, and one might want to buy a bike before a Tesla. —Max Ufberg, Editor-in-Chief

Building a Second Brain: A Proven Way to Organize Your Digital Life and Unleash Your Creative Potential
By Tiago Forte, published on June 14, 2022
Research has shown that many of us have become lax about remembering information we might need later because we know deep down that Google is still around. Productivity expert author Tiago Forte argues that we need a new way of thinking about information and technology to effectively “manage and streamline” our information. In second brain, Forte features a four-step process called CODE (an acronym for Capture, Organize, Distill and Express) that leverages existing technology to help you store your most important ideas and memories in your phone where they can be recalled at any time. . Until memory implants become a thing, harnessing the “second brain” in your hip pocket might be our best move. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers of Success in a World of Exponential Information
By Ross Dawson, released September 6, 2022
Australian entrepreneur, futurist and author Ross Dawson offers readers concrete steps on how, given today’s information overload and 24-hour news cycle, we can continue to thrive. According to Dawson, knowing how to survive and navigate this access to unlimited information is the key not only to success, but also to improving personal well-being. Featuring lessons from top “information masters,” including Dawson’s clients at Citibank, Google, and Microsoft, Thrive on Overload offers the five best ways to manage our information-laden world. —Grace Buono, editorial intern

Dignity in the digital age: making technology work for all
By Ro Khanna, published on February 1
Congressman Ro Khanna, whose district encompasses much of Silicon Valley, has a unique challenge as a politician. Most members of Congress spend a lot of time working to get the appropriations (“hog”) back to their home districts. Khanna is on a mission to help more people outside of his district benefit from the wealth generating power of the tech sector. “[J]Just as people can transition to technology, technology can transition to people,” states the foreword to the book. Dignity offers practical ways to address lingering symptoms of the digital divide, such as poor rural broadband, job automation and unequal access to technology. MAGA America believes that the “coastal elite” have benefited from the growing wealth of technology, while everyone else has suffered its bad side effects, such as the automation of tasks. Khanna’s ideas could spread the wealth of technology more evenly and, in doing so, begin to ease simmering political tensions in the country. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

All I Need I Get From You: How Fangirls Created The Internet As We Know It
By Kaitlyn Tiffany, published on June 14, 2022
In her first book, journalist Kaitlyn Tiffany, a self-identified One Direction fangirl, explores how fandoms on Twitter, Tumblr, and other internet platforms have shaped what we know about online social interactions. Tiffany traces the stereotypes and limitations so often attributed to these music fanatics – from Beatles fangirls to One Direction – ultimately arguing that we’ve underestimated them for too long. Stepping back from her role as a participant in the fandom subculture, Tiffany asks why fangirls turned to the internet and how our digital lives have since changed. —Grace Buono, editorial intern

Binge Times: Inside Hollywood’s furious billion-dollar battle to bring down Netflix
By Dade Hayes and Dawn Chmielewski, published April 19, 2022
The television industry has undergone a massive transition from broadcast and cable television to streaming video. Old-guard media companies (including Disney) have had to play a tough game of catching up against companies like streaming pioneer Netflix and deep-pocketed Amazon Prime Video, both of which have gone a decade ahead. Frenzy Time tells the inside story of how Apple, AT&T/WarnerMedia, Comcast/NBCUniversal, and well-funded startup Quibi rushed to create and launch streaming products to compete with Netflix. Hayes and Chmielewski describe how these companies have been forced to repeatedly rethink their streaming products, as well as their organizational charts and strategic plans to capture their share of the future of streaming. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

The law of power: venture capital and the creation of the new future
By Sebastian Mallaby, published February 1, 2022
Author Sebastian Mallaby has made a career of chronicling various aspects of how finance works and, in The power law, he turns his attention to what he believes to be the underappreciated role venture capitalists have played in the innovation economy. Mallaby’s book is most compelling – even to the most ardent supporters of venture capital funding – when it describes the history of financial innovations now taken for granted in fundraising for startups: call options employee equity, funding rounds, growth capital, founder control, etc. . For those less familiar with Silicon Valley history, VC’s view of the early days of Atari, Cisco, Apple, Google and other iconic names adds sparkle and surprise. Mallaby can be blunt in presenting his thesis, treading ground that would suggest the money men deserve more credit than the creatives who came up with the company’s ideas in the first place. In the process, however, he may be revealing more than he realizes about the ruthless nature of venture capital. In these times when every “capital allocator” has issued dire warnings to their portfolio companies and potential suitors for their dry powder, the fact that VCs will ultimately do whatever they need to do to salvage their investment is that which adds a little extra spice to this otherwise triumphant adventure through Silicon Valley history. —David Lidsky, Associate Editor

The metaverse and how it will revolutionize everything
By Matthew Ball, released July 19, 2022
Theorist and venture capitalist Matthew Ball was all about the “metaverse” long before the concept suddenly, in 2021, became the subject of endless tech news articles and before Facebook co-opted the term, even going as far as to rename the company after him. Ball defined what the Metaverse could be, from technical implications to human consequences, in a series of influential essays dating back years. He collects all his thoughts on the subject in The Metaverse, exploring the technologies involved – including the breakthroughs that will be needed to fully achieve this – governance challenges, as well as the roles of Web3, blockchains and NFTs. Ball predicts that the metaverse will eventually overwhelm the internet, in which case things like social media and content search will no longer happen on small screens but surround us through the magic of AR and VR. —Mark Sullivan, Senior Writer

Irish production company to launch new feature film in Korean festival market

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Kildare-based production company Prelude Content has announced that its feature film Devil’s Left Handcurrently in development, was selected for NAFF Project Market at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in South Korea in July.

Devil’s Left Hand tells the story of Cassandra, a black Irishwoman living in Japan, who must learn Bōjutsu so that she can exact revenge on the vicious Yakuza crime boss who cut off her arm and murdered her family.

Prelude Content was created in 2021 by writer/producer Paul FitzSimons and Devil’s Left Hand will be their first feature film.

I’m thrilled to make such an exciting and progressive film, the story of a black Irish woman leading the fight against the Japanese mob.

Paul FitzSimons, Producer – Prelude Content

The film is based on the upcoming graphic novel by acclaimed writer Victor Santos. Santos’ previous novel Polar was adapted into a feature film for Netflix, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Vanessa Hudgens, and a sequel was recently announced.

It’s the first time I’ve worked on a graphic novel that is, at the same time, adapted into a feature film. It’s the combined vision of an international team, brought together to tell this epic and emotional story of revenge and redemption.

Victor Santos, author

Devil’s Left Hand is a Japanese, Irish and British co-production. The screenplay is written by Japanese writer/director Mutsumi Kameyama and English writer/producer Anthony Alleyne.

I have a few features on my slate. But none of them are as exceptional as Devil’s Left Hand.

Anthony Alleyne, writer/co-producer

Kameyama, whose previous film 12 Months Of Kai won more than 10 international awards, will also direct.

One of my goals is to make an action movie that reflects a fantastic but realistic view of Japan.

Mutsumi Kameyama, writer/director

Kameyama and FitzSimons will meet with financiers, distributors and other global film leaders at the three-day BIFAN industry gathering in Bucheon, South Korea, July 9-12.

More information on Devil’s Left Hand can be found at preludecontent.com/film.

Michelle Courtney Berry’s book “KEEPING CALM IN CHAOS: How to Work Well, Live Well, and Love Abundantly No Matter What” becomes a bestseller!

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

ITHACA, NY, June 16, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ — Michelle Courtney Berry has launched her new book “KEEPING CALM IN CHAOS: How to Work Well, Live Well, And Abundantly No Matter What”, and it has become a bestseller international !

“Staying Calm in Chaos: How to Work Well, Live Well, and Love Abundantly No Matter What” is an original and transcendent guide to body, mind, and overall spiritual well-being. Readers will discover that self-healing is possible when they know how to take small, concrete actions every day to create lasting change.

In a recent interview on the Thriving Entrepreneur radio show, Michelle Courtney Berry said, “I want to help people relax so they can press reset and have the happy life they were meant to have.”

Host Steve Kidd said: ‘We all deal with stressors, things that make us nervous, things that really push us, these days more than others it seems . Michelle’s book is filled with the tips and tricks you need to change the path you’re on, to the happy, fulfilled path you’re meant to be on. I encourage everyone to get their book on Amazon today!

Get your copy TODAY! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z769B1Y

Michelle Courtney Berry is the owner of mindset-equity, a company designed to help people live, work and love more fairly and mindfully in today’s complex times. Self-help author, stress reduction expert, coach and inspirational speaker, Michelle is an internationally acclaimed meditation teacher and wellness consultant who dedicates her life to helping stressed and overwhelmed leaders press the reset to that they can lead a happier, healthier and more balanced life. Lives. She holds a graduate degree in Organizational and Risk Communication from Cornell University and a dual bachelor’s degree in English, Literature, and Rhetoric from Binghamton University, where she was a Presidential Fellow and Lecturer at launch. She lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York with her family.

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Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

Customs Matters: Strengthening Customs Administration in a Changing World

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Customs Matters: Strengthening Customs Administration in a Changing World

Author/Editor:

Augusto A Perez Azcarraga; Tadatsugu Matsudaira; Gilles Montagnat-Rentier; Janos Nagy; R. James Clark



Publication date:

June 15, 2022

Electronic access:

Free download. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view this PDF file




Summary:

Customs administrations around the world are facing new challenges: an increasing volume of international trade, a revolution in new technologies and fundamental changes in business models. The benefits of a well-functioning customs administration are obvious, as is the need to develop efficient, effective, fair and modern customs administrations. Customs Matters analyzes the many changes and challenges facing customs administrations and suggests ways to deal with them. By providing a cross-sectional view of key aspects of Customs administration, the book guides policy makers and Customs officers in assessing the current state of their Customs system with a view to developing, strengthening or reviving their own roadmaps for customs modernization. .

The Bookseller – Rights – Daphne Press seizes a fantasy series ‘high octane’

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The new publisher Daphne Press has arrived The lightsa “haunting” contemporary YA fantasy by Susan Dennard.

The acquisition, the first made by the press since its launch in 2021, was secured by Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary, who secured the UK and Commonwealth rights to the trilogy. The e-book release will coincide with the US on November 8, followed by a paperback release in early 2023, with book two releasing later in the year.

“The lights is a haunting, high-octane contemporary fantasy about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the courage it takes to face the secrets that lurk in the dark corners of your own family. . Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns,” the synopsis explains. “You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work here, and the forest outside of town just might kill you. Only the Luminaries, a society of ancient guardians, stand between humanity and the nightmares of the forest that arise each night.”

Initially launched as a “choose your own story” on Twitter, Dennard’s pre-lockdown project attracted thousands of participants who grew into an entire online community. Every day, Dennard added to the story featuring its teenage protagonist, Winnie, and allowed readers to vote on what action they wanted her to take.

Daphne Tonge, Founder and Publisher, said, “We are delighted that Susan and the team at New Leaf have entrusted us with this brilliant new duology. Readers will fall in love with Winnie and be captivated by the mysteries of Hemlock Falls. We brought the nightmares to life by commissioning detailed artwork from Kerby Rosanes (who also worked on the covers for Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight series and vampire empire) throughout the book. We have created a beautiful package for The lights and are delighted to reveal it.”

The press was started as a branch of book subscription and special editions company Illumicrate, and expanded to publish original works. He now intends to focus on acquiring commercial fiction from a wide range of voices and aims to champion early writers and stories from typically underrepresented backgrounds.

“Daphne Press is a wonderful opportunity to use our reach to champion the books we are passionate about and work collaboratively with authors,” Tonge added. “We are in a unique position as a publisher and retailer to launch books in young adult and crossover spaces. We also plan to strengthen our team in an inclusive way, starting with the ability to work entirely remotely within Our hope is to bring change and put the spotlight on talent.

Letter to the editor: Spring book sale a big success – Albert Lea Tribune

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Thank you to everyone who made the Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale a great success. We raised $1,626 through the sale of books and subscriptions. Proceeds, along with donations and sales from Fountain Lake Bookstore, support additional adult and children’s programs and supplies at the Albert Lea Public Library.

Special thanks to Freeborn County’s Janelle VanEngelburg, her Sentence-To-Serve team and the many Friends volunteers for their work on behalf of this event. A thank you to Ken Bertelson, who continues to provide delicious homemade treats to volunteers. Also, thanks to the engineering department of Albert Lea for providing the garage. The posters and bookmarks were made by Trish Whelan, library staff member, and we thank her. Many thanks to Marilyn Rahn, Book Sale Chair, who did a great job. We are grateful for the continued generous donations of books in good, clean condition from area residents, which can be placed in the blue bin at the bottom of the City Hall stairs.

Now in its 15th year, the Fountain Lake Bookstore is open year-round on the lower level of City Hall and is staffed by volunteers Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. When there are no staff, books can be purchased using the payment box near the office. .

We hope to see you at our 2022 fall sale.

Cindy Gandrud

Library Friends

10 Underrated Superman Graphic Novels

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Superman remains the most recognizable and revered member of the superhero pantheon. Although he has the most prolific history of any comic book character, many of his biggest stories are one-off issues or sprawling year-long story arcs. When looking for accessible superhero comics, book-length stories presented as graphic novels are usually the best way to get into a character.



RELATED: 10 Superman Stories You Can Read Without Any Context

Unfortunately, with Superman, most graphic novel lists contain the same old entries like Superman All-Star, birthright, and Superman for all seasons. While these classics are worthy of their accolades, there are often overlooked Superman graphic novels that any fan of the character should seek out and get their hands on. These are stories about the Man of Steel that may not have changed the character forever, but help remind readers why he is so beloved.

ten Superman: The Power Within explores hero worship

Curt Swan is easily one of the most iconic Superman artists of all time. Swan’s work on the Man of Steel began in 1948, and the artist would spend almost forty years drawing the adventures of Superman, both in comics and comics. After DC’s 1986 reboot, Swan lost his usual penciling job and only worked sporadically. The silver lining was that he had more time to produce his art, meaning comics from this era feature Curt Swan at his absolute peak.

Superman: The Power Within, written by Roger Stern and made in the style of a serialized Sunday Newspaper comic strip, tells the story of a dangerous cult that has grown up around Superman. This story contains some of Swan’s best work in the medium.

9 Superman family adventures are heartfelt fun

Art Balthazar and Franco Aureliani took DC Comics by storm when they created the all-ages comic Tiny Titans, which injected the classic DC property with a Cartoon Network-style sense of imagination and humor. In Superman Family Adventures the creative duo transferred that formula to the Man of Steel and seamlessly integrated elements of Superman’s mythology and mediascape.

The graphic novel primarily features single-issue stories, delineated by a serialized narrative. The duo also produced a shorter all-ages graphic novel called Smallville Superman. Both books are an ideal introduction for young readers.

8 Superman: Strange Attractors documents Lois and Clark navigating into adulthood

Acclaimed comic book writer Gail Simone only got one good crack at Superman during a brief action comics run in the mid-2000s. The series consisted of several one- and two-issue stories connected by overarching themes and plot development.

RELATED: John Byrne’s 10 Most Controversial Changes He Made To Comic Book Characters

The collection of graphic novels, Strange attractors features many epic moments such as a showdown between Superman and Black Adam, an odyssey through a Kryptonian fairy tale, and plenty of Lois Lane kicking and scooping. The art is by John Byrne, returning to a character he revitalized afterCrisis and update his art style for the occasion.

seven Superman: the force is both classic and modern

Scott McCloud is perhaps most famous for his seminal book, Understanding comics but he also had a notable association with Superman. McCloud had a year-long run on The animated series related comic, collected in Superman: The Adventures of the Man of Steelwhich is another great book for all ages with short, fun stories.

McCloud then teamed up with a colleague Adventures artist Aluir Amancio on Superman: Force. Amancio manages to channel his inner Jack Kirby in this goofy sci-fi story filled with resonant social issues and a cheeky sense of humor.

6 Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore Was A Fascinating “Reboot”

In 1971, longtime Superman editor Mort Weisinger resigned. Julius Schwartz, the man who kicked off the Silver Age of comics and helped create the versions of The Flash and Green Lantern we all know and love, has been tasked with updating the Superman family for the new decade. Schwartz immediately decided to found Superman by taking him back to his Golden Age roots, and he cast the writer who helped him do the same to Batman, Dennis O’Neil, as the man. to do it.

The experience did not last very long, but “Sandman Saga” in nine issues (collected under No more kryptonite) feels fresh exactly because he does things that look out of place in a Superman comic book. Curt Swan updated his style to feel more detailed and cinematic, breathing new life into the book, and Neal Adams’ covers are iconic.

5 Superman: Doomsday is a superior sequel

Doomsday was the beast that did the impossible; he killed Superman. But when he did, at the crossover event The Death of Superman, it was basically just a slugfest. In fact, the deepest stories came after the epic battle, like Funeral for a friend and The Reign of the Supermen explored the impact Superman had both in-universe and in the real world.

RELATED: Superman: 5 Undeniable Ways His Death Changed The Comics For The Better (& 5 For The Worse)

Given this, creator of Dan Jurgens’ space epic Doomsday Superman: hunter/prey of the end of the world really is where the hulking superman villain gets his due. And the scale is really grand, you could even say “Apokoliptic”.

4 Superman: For Tomorrow forced the hero to stare into the abyss

Perhaps the most publicized and controversial book on this list, For tomorrow was supposed to be Jim Lee’s sequel to his blockbuster Batman: Hush. While that story left Lee wild in the Batman universe, Brian Azzarello’s darker, more introspective tale wasn’t quite as accessible or fun. Azzarello is a writer who is arguably too cynical even for Batman, and his take on Superman wasn’t the most sympathetic portrayal of the character.

However, this tension creates a Superman story that presses serious, resonant themes that are authentic to the character and the mythology. Meanwhile, Jim Lee’s art, driven towards horror, shadows and religious symbolism, has never been richer.

3 Superman: Phantom Zone is a horror-adjacent superhero tale

Another Superman book that taps into dark themes, Superman: Phantom Zone, Illustrated by legendary horror comic artist Gene Colan, is a dark tale involving escaped super-criminals from the prison dimension known as the Phantom Zone.

The story is written by Howard the Duck, co-creator and confirmed Superman fan Steve Gerber, whose respectful but radical take on the Man of Steel would probably have been too difficult for DC to try on a month-to-month basis. It’s a Superman graphic novel that has more in common with DC’s Vertigo books like hellblazer and Swamp Thing than he does with the usual Superman adventures.


2 Superman: Time And Time Again is a fun time odyssey

In the years leading up to Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman comics weren’t quite mainstream, but Superman: Over and Over taps into that sense of Bronze Age adventure perfectly. During the ’90s, creatives like Roger Stern, Dan Jurgens, and Jerry Ordway essentially turned all of the Superman single-player titles into one weekly comic book series, and the extra space gave them room to tell stories. epics and develop various subplots and additions to the mythology.

RELATED: DC: Best Time Travel Stories

Superman: Again and again is one of the most easily accessible stories of this era. It’s a fun adventure in which Superman jumps through different time periods, from the prehistoric age to the 30th century, as he tries to get home.


1 Superman: Return to Krypton Mixes Silver Age and Modern Age

At the turn of the century, the Superman books needed an overhaul, and writers like Joe Kelly, Jeph Loeb and Joe Casey, alongside artists like Pasqual Ferry and Ed McGuinness (to name a few ), were given the task. .

While this era produced several hit stories and is notable for making Lois and Clark’s marriage honest and entertaining, as well as making Lex Luthor President of the United States, this crossover, Back to Krypton is the most self-contained and critically acclaimed story produced to this time. The first third of the race is also collected in Superman: The City of Tomorrow Vol. 1 and Flight. 2.

NEXT: 10 Powers Superman No Longer Uses

The Bookseller – News – Indies partners with Children’s Book Project to fight book poverty

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Independent bookstores are partnering with the charity The Children’s Book Project to receive donations of used books from local families, in an effort to tackle child book poverty.

Members of the local community are encouraged to drop off books at their local participating bookstore. These will be gifted to other children with very few books, and the campaign aims to generate 20,000 books.

The program builds on the success of the first initiative launched last year. As stores began to reopen after Covid, the Children’s Book Project approached a small number of independent bookstores to explore the idea of ​​them accepting donations of “lightly used” children’s books during Independent Bookstore Week. The 14 participating bookstores received more than 6,000 books donated between them.

A total of 37 stores are taking part, with specialist children’s bookshops including Tales on Moon Lane in Herne Hill, south London, and Bags of Books in Lewes, East Sussex, among them.

The event will take place during Independent Bookstore Week (running June 18-25), extending through July 9. Most of the participating bookshops are based in London or the south of England, but the charity hopes to expand its reach in the coming years.

Liberty Venn, Founder of The Book Project, said, “Pass on the books your kids loved but grew up in and help us put stories straight into the hands of other kids. It’s a powerful way to tackle book scarcity and give every child the chance to find a book that inspires them.

This year’s book drive runs under the title Pass on the Magic, with a focus on how books can bring joy, creativity and the power of dreaming into children’s lives.

Children’s author Maz Evans said: “I’m thrilled to see so many wonderful independent bookstores supporting this campaign. They are at the heart of nationwide reading communities and by inviting families to find new homes for their children’s pre-loved books, they are helping to tackle book poverty in the most practical way.”

The bookseller – Rights – HCCB acquires three others from Gold

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

HarperCollins Children’s Books has purchased three new books by award-winning author Hannah Gold.

Fiction and authorship brand publisher Nick Lake has acquired worldwide rights to a three-book deal by Claire Wilson at RCW, with the first novel due out in 2023. Multi-award-winning artist Levi Pinfold will continue to illustrate .

The beginnings of gold, the last bear, won both the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award, with rights sold in 20 territories and more. Her second novel, the lost whale, released in hardcover in March and saw sales increase by 40% on the last bear within the first month of publication, according to the publisher.

Lake said: “We knew the moment we read the last bear that Hannah Gold had a unique storytelling talent. Deeply moving and immersive, written straight from the heart, his novels are also urgent yet hopeful battle cries for our planet and its animals – and it’s no wonder they’ve been embraced so immediately by young readers. , by critics and by judges. These are exciting and important stories and we couldn’t be prouder to add three more to HarperCollins’ list of children’s books.

Gold added: “My publishing journey so far has been a dream and I couldn’t be happier to write three more stories under the expert guidance of the entire wonderful team at HarperCollins Children’s Books. They are an absolute pleasure to work with and they have turned my dreams as an author into something truly special. I’m also thrilled that illustrator extraordinaire Levi Pinfold is happy to continue making my books so jaw-droppingly beautiful. Let the next heartfelt animal adventure begin!

Meet Harold Gillies, the WWI surgeon who reconstructed the faces of wounded soldiers

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
Enlarge / British troops moved into the trenches east of Ypres in October 1917. A new book by historian Lindsey Fitzharris explores the stories of those soldiers who suffered severe facial injuries and the pioneering surgeon who rebuilt their face: Harold Gillies.

Archives Hulton/Getty Images

In August 1917, a British World War I soldier named John Glubb was hit in the face by a shell. He recalled blood flowing in “torrents” and he felt something that looked like a chicken bone moving around his left cheek. It turned out to be half of his jaw, broken from the impact.

Glubb wasn’t the only unfortunate World War I soldier to sustain a disfiguring facial injury. Shrapnel-filled shells were designed to inflict the most damage possible, and the need to look over trench parapets to assess the battlefield or fire meant a greater risk of being hit in the face by pieces of flying metal. Unlike the loss of a limb, these soldiers faced great social and professional stigma when they returned from the front due to their disfigurement. They were usually reduced to taking night shifts and relegated to special blue benches when in public – a warning to others to look away.

Luckily for these men, a New Zealand surgeon named Harold Gillies dedicated his life to developing innovative techniques to reconstruct faces after witnessing the carnage while serving at the front. Once home, he set up a special ward for soldiers with facial injuries at Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot, eventually convincing his superiors that a dedicated hospital was warranted. He is often referred to as the “father of plastic surgery” because of his pioneering work at Queen’s Hospital (later renamed Queen Mary’s Hospital) at Frognal House in Sidcup.

Gillies is a key character in a new book by author and medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris, titled The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’s Battle to Repair Disfigured WWI Soldiers. A renowned science communicator with a great Follow Twitter and a penchant for the macabre medical, Fitzharris published a biography of surgical pioneer Joseph Lister, The art of butcheryin 2017 – a great read, if at times macabre.

His work quickly caught the attention of the Smithsonian Channel, which tapped Fitzharris to host its 2020 documentary series revisiting infamous historical cold cases, The curious life and death of…. Fitzharris usually has several book ideas simmering on the back burner at any given time. For example, she has a children’s book coming out next year illustrated by her husband, cartoonist/cartoonist Adrian Teal, and is already working on a third book about a 19th-century surgeon named Joseph Bell, who inspired Sherlock Holmes’s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Facemaker was not his first choice for the follow-up to The art of butcherybecause she didn’t know the First World War very well. But his publisher loved Gillies’ story, so Fitzharris gave himself a crash course in the history of this period. “The art of butchery is hyper-focused on one man, Joseph Lister, who applied germ theory to medical practice,” Fitzharris told Ars. “This book is not about one man, but about several men. It’s about Harold Gillies, the pioneering surgeon who reconstructed soldiers’ faces during World War I, but it’s also about those disfigured men. I hope their voices really shine in the narrative.”

Ars spoke with Fitzharris to find out more.

(Attention: some photos and graphic descriptions of facial reconstruction follow.)

US Army trainees in trenches on the Western Front during World War I, France, 1918. The need to look over parapets led to a dramatic increase in facial injuries from shrapnel, often quite disfiguring.
Enlarge / US Army trainees in trenches on the Western Front during World War I, France, 1918. The need to look over parapets led to a dramatic increase in facial injuries from shrapnel, often quite disfiguring.

Photo Archive/Getty Images

Ars Technica: It’s such a vast subject. How did you reduce the scope so the range was manageable?

Lindsey Fitzharris: True, it was a much more complicated story. I think that’s why it took me five years to write, just to understand the magnitude of the First World War, with military medicine at the time, with all these complicated advances. One of the challenges of the First World War is that there is so much material: so many diaries and letters from soldiers recounting their experiences. Someone asked me what the difference is between academic history and the business history I write. A lot of what I do now is rejecting information. I absorb a lot in my research, but I push that away because I don’t want to overwhelm the reader. I want to find the pulse of the story.

I knew I wanted to knock the reader into the trenches from the start. There’s a man by the name of Percy Clair who wrote this beautiful diary that allowed me to tell the story of what it was like to be wounded, punched in the face and lay on the battlefield for quite long before being recovered. I wanted readers to understand how difficult it was to first leave the battlefield and then get to Gillies because Clair was sent to the wrong hospital first.

There were also complications with accessing patient records in the UK and what you can and cannot say regarding a patient’s name. When I use a patient’s name in The Facemaker, it is because this knowledge is public, or that Gillies himself had published it at some point. If Gillies posted about a certain patient, if I went into the records and found other information that he did not include, I could not use that information in connection with that person’s name. . The art of butchery didn’t have that complication because it was set in the 19th century. Everything was old enough that we didn’t have to worry about any of that. But much of the material for The Facemaker is copyrighted. I had to contact members of Percy Clair’s family for permission to cite his diary to the extent that I did.

Charlize Theron Debuts a Sweeping New Haircut for The Old Guard 2

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Filming the Netflix sequel The old guard is about to begin and star Charlize Theron is rocking a new hairstyle for it. At a benefit party for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) on Saturday, Theron, who hosted a Q&A with the cast and director of Jurassic World Dominion, debuted a new dark mullet hairstyle, telling The Hollywood Reporter that style helps give the impression that time has passed.

“We needed something that felt like time had passed, so for that you go with the old mullet,” Theron said.

In The old guard, Theron played a warrior named Andy who leads a secretive group of tight-knit mercenary knights with a mysterious inability to die as they have protected the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to undertake an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly on display, it’s up to Andy and Nile (Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights), The old guard is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.

The movie was a big hit for Netflix and the sequel was announced last year. Theron along with other original stars Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofor are all set to return and will be joined by Uma Thurman and Henry Golding. Rucka returned to write the screenplay, although Gina Prince-Bythewood stepped down as director. The sequel will instead be directed by Victoria Mahoney.

“I like The old guard and the story and the characters that I had the honor of bringing into the world,” Prince-Bythewood shared in a statement when Mahoney was announced as director. “It was exciting to disrupt the genre. I decided not to direct the sequel but to remain a producer. I leave our franchise in good hands as my daughter Vic Mahoney takes care of this next chapter of Nile and Joe and Nicky and Booker and Quynh and Andy, scripted by the beautiful mind of Greg Rucka.”

Mahoney shared, “Truly blown away by the level of collective talent, skill and craftsmanship that has gone into sculpting The old guard. I must have washed it over a hundred times, and as such cannot convey the true measure of my excitement – being invited on The old guard journey, alongside fierce tough guys.”

What do you think of Theron’s new look The old guard 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Bookseller – Rights – Puffin prepares the second festive adventure of Greg the Sausage Roll by LadBaby

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Puffin has signed a second children’s book by Ladbaby following the success of their first, Greg the Sausage Roll: Santa’s Little Helper, published last November.

Olivia Edwards, editor of Puffin Picture Books, has bought the UK and Commonwealth rights to Greg the sausage roll: the perfect gift by Mark and Roxanne Hoyle, the pair behind social media phenomenon LadBaby, from WME. It will be illustrated by Gareth Conway.

Greg the Sausage Roll’s debut book has gone number one and has so far sold 119,406 copies in the UK via Nielsen BookScan. The perfect gift will be released on November 10, 2022.

The new book sees the return of the irrepressible Greg the Sausage Roll for another magical adventure that “guarantees kids and adults alike a bag full of festive laughs.”

Its synopsis reads, “Greg waits all year for Christmas to roll out, and just as the tinsel lights come on, he springs into action. He’s a sausage roll on a mission to make this Best Christmas EVER! – new friends and family and find out: Will Greg find the perfect gift?”

The authors, who had three consecutive Christmas number-one singles in 2018, 2019 and 2020 pledged to work closely again with Puffin, the National Literacy Trust and WH Smith to donate books to children in need, as they did with the first book. Puffin again pledged to donate a Puffin book to a child in need with every copy pre-ordered or purchased from WH Smith.

Olivia Edwards, commissioning editor, said: “I am delighted to be working with Mark, Roxanne and Gareth on Greg’s second celebratory adventure. Last year, it was amazing how a little sausage roll catapulted into the hearts of the nation and became a number one bestseller. Expect more nonsense, even more magic, and lots of heart. After all, it really wouldn’t be Christmas without Greg the Sausage Roll!

The authors said: “We are thrilled to announce that we are continuing our incredible journey with Greg the Sausage Roll. For two people with dyslexia, writing a book to try to encourage children to love reading was already an overwhelming and mind-blowing achievement for us. For the book to become a number one Sunday time bestseller and collecting over 28,000 books donated to charity to help children read was beyond our wildest dreams!

A new book by a local author shines a light on the magic of our peatlands

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Tina Claffey

Published:

A new book that aims to shine a light on the pure magic of Ireland’s bogs has just been published by award-winning local photographer Tina Claffey.

‘Portal’ was launched at Birr Castle Demesne on Thursday by another renowned local geologist, botanist and author, John Feehan, who hailed the new publication as one of Ireland’s ‘treasures’.

The new book contains striking images of the unique flora and fauna hidden in our bogs, wetlands and eskers, all of which were captured by Tina Claffey with her camera.

Recognized as one of Ireland’s leading nature photographers, Tina Claffey, who now lives in Birr, has spent over a decade living and working in Botswana, Southern Africa, where she photographed flora, wildlife and wildlife before returning home to live in the Midlands.

She became interested in Ireland’s remaining raised bogs when she settled in Offaly and has worked tirelessly to capture the unique landscape which she considers to be one of ‘Western Europe’s last true wilderness’. .

Tina considers our bogs to be ‘magical places’ and with her special macro photography techniques, which require great skill and patience, she has managed to capture a huge range of photographs showcasing the magic and beauty of the landscape of the bogs.

In 2017, she launched an exhibition at the Birr Theater & Arts Center titled “Elements” in which she conveyed the mood of the twilight hours, and even ventured underwater into the mysterious bog pools to reveal the treasures and inhabitants who are not normally visible. with the naked eye.

“Elements” followed two previous exhibitions, “Seoda – Treasure Under Foot” and Seoda – Treasure of the Wetlands”, which also explored Tina Claffey’s fascination with our raised bogs. The talented local photographer also published a highly acclaimed book on Irish bogs in 2018 called ‘Tapestry of Light’, which was followed by a photographic exhibition of her work as part of the ‘Living Bog’ project.

In her new book ‘Portal’, Tina Claffey uses her photographic skills, her observational eye and her unique perspective to create a breathtaking book that captures the beauty of Ireland’s unique, rare and endangered landscape.

Margaret O’Gorman, President of the United States Wildlife Council, described Tina Claffey’s work as “a rich testament to the importance of peatlands to our natural heritage and an ark for peatland biodiversity.” From sleeping bees to frosty mushrooms, Tina’s photos remind us of the wonders that surround us if we only stop to recognize them.

Published:

Watch Lucha Libre Legend Battle Stranger Things Monster in Epic New Ad

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

In a collaboration that no one saw coming, Doritos, Lucha Libre and Stranger Things have created something… well, truly spectacular. Doritos has released a new commercial that takes place in the Stranger Things town of Hawkins, Indiana, specifically the Hawkins Coliseum, and features Lucha Libre legend Hijo del Santo in the ring (via WrestlingInc). El Santo is about to face his opponent in front of a large crowd when a hole opens towards the corner of the mat, and as his opponent is engulfed by it, the Demogorgon crawls out of the portal to the Upside Down. and take his place.

What follows is a wild and incredible battle, as El Santo stays in the ring to do battle with the beast as the crowd exits the arena. El Santo avoids a claw swipe and then fends off the creature with a dropkick, though the poor cameraman doesn’t fare so well, being completely eaten.

After the Demogorgon spits out the camera and his shoe, the lights flash and the beast flanks him and strikes, splitting his back with its claws. Then he knocks El Santo from the ring to the ground and looks to eat him too, but El Santo then notices that the Mariachi Band stayed in the arena and hides. He gives the nod and they begin to play, stunning the Demogorgon enough for El Santo to knock him into the portal. After a celebration, El Santo jumps into the portal as well, and somehow it was all in a commercial for Flamin’ Hot Doritos.

There really aren’t any bullet points in all this advertising, and yet I don’t care. It was amazing, and you can see it for yourself in the video above. It’s also worth noting that Santo is actually banned from the Arena Coliseo where the commercial was filmed. He was banned when he left arena owner CMLL, but it seems CMLL didn’t know he would be involved in publicity before his shoot.

Hijo del Santo has had some standout runs in AAA and CMLL over the years, including a classic match at AAA’s When Worlds Collide when he teamed up with Octagon to defeat Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero. Hijo del Santo will be taking part in Kobe World 2022 and the Kobe Pro Wrestling Festival in July as part of Ultimo Dragon’s 35th anniversary celebration.

Who benefits from censorship of new books and why is it important? — The Skidmore News

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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The Conservative-led book ban has seen a resurgence in the past three months with new censorship debates erupting in schools, courts and homes across the country. Book banning is not a new phenomenon or an isolated practice of a single political party or ideology. This wave of censorship, however, has been particularly extensive in terms of its geographically widespread nature, the amount of books banned, and the wider implications it has for book bans in 2022.

It all started in a Tennessee school district when the school board scrapped the popular graphic novel Maus—a memoir on the Holocaust—classrooms. They defended the decision by saying that “its unnecessary use of profanity and nudity and its portrayal of violence and suicide” made it “too adult-oriented” for students. Schools and parent-run organizations across the country quickly followed with their own calls for specific books to be banned on a variety of grounds, whether they are too violent, too explicit, too radical, or too thematic. so that children can manage them.

For example, a popular parenting advocacy group, “No Left Turn,” recently challenged historian Howard Zinn’s national bestseller, A People’s History of the United States, and the highly acclaimed Margret Atwood A Handmaid’s Tale to be taught in schools because they see these texts as tools for “indoctrinate students” to “radical ideology”. However, claims that these books expose students to an exaggerated side of history only serve to deprive them of the ability to actually study the past in the most dispassionate way possible. A People’s History of the United States for example, teaches history from the bottom up, emphasizing the forgotten or ignored perspectives of individuals who do not fit into the often highly nationalistic framework of American history. Like any other history book, it is not meant to stand alone or promote a single narrative from the past. Rather, it is meant to be read in conjunction with other perspectives to form a complex understanding of the patterns and themes that emerge across time and space. Books similar to “A People’s History”, while they may make claims that deviate from the standard narrative of American history, are certainly not tools of indoctrination. These are necessary challenges to the dominant historical narratives and to those who manage to perpetuate them.

As many texts become accessible online, the effectiveness of modern book bans in the United States is also in question. This is especially true due to social media, where conversations about recent book bans may have heightened public awareness of controversial titles. Technology has led to an increase in the popularity and sales of banned titles. The increased awareness of the current bans has further been exploited by companies, especially bookstores, who have moved to commodify the genre of banned books. Book displays showcasing controversial titles popped up all over stores (if they weren’t already there), raising awareness of currently contested titles. Although racks of “banned books” raise awareness of the existence of important titles, it is debatable whether it is fair that there are people profiting from this wave of censorship.

Of course, there are still limits to reading forbidden books for most people. For many, using physical copies of books is the preferred and sometimes the only accessible method of obtaining particular titles, depending on whether or not a student has access to a computer and the Internet at home. Removing some books from free spaces like libraries and school shelves means those who don’t have permission to read or can’t afford a certain title won’t be able to read valuable books because of the bans public.

Literature, both controversial and neutral, offers individuals the opportunity to teach themselves something as much as it acts as a tool for teachers (in the broadest interpretation of the role) to educate others. It is central to the learning process because it challenges the institutionalization of ideas. Literature is fluid – it grants readers some autonomy in their own upbringing to develop beliefs and make observations for themselves. Controversial books in particular, which are often banned for their particularly thought-provoking content, challenge the dominant narratives of history and society. By their very nature, books facilitate a process of inquiry between readers and the world, something that education should embody. So, by removing titles from schools, politicians and organizations pushing for such bans are only failing to meet their responsibilities to the people they represent. By censoring books that deal with heavier themes or content deemed too explicit, parents and politicians are denying their responsibility to provide children and citizens with the resources they need to truly educate themselves.

Although it can be said that some parents and guardians who advocate for the removal of controversial texts are genuinely acting on what they believe to be right, this type of response speaks volumes about the process of devaluation of literature in today’s society. . People have become disconnected from the absolute power words have to make someone feel seen and to communicate truths about history and the world. Today, many fear rather than cherish books and the curiosity they inspire.

Literature is an outlet for history. It is an essential means of historicizing and characterizing the past in a recognizable way. It is an outlet for the truth. It’s a way to explore the world beyond what you may face in your day-to-day life. It’s a way to challenge your own beliefs and perspectives and learn to cultivate empathy for others. Reading keeps people from getting stuck in the echo chambers of mainstream beliefs channeled into the media, schools, etc. In his essay responding to recent book bans, author Viet Thanh Nguyen writes “Books are inseparable from ideas, and that is what is at stake: the struggle over what a child, a reader and a society are allowed to think, know and question. Books allow us to experience the necessary discomfort that is essential for growth; Oscar Wilde once said, “The books the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” More importantly, books tell us about ourselves, and they tell us about those around us. They can make us feel understood and accepted when we feel most alone. The 2022 book bans have shown us that we must collectively redefine the importance of all kinds of literature in our lives. No one should be deprived of the opportunity to read something that may make them feel seen.

Croatian writer Yasmin Dar’s novel on Iran “On the roads of Persia” presented in Zagreb

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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TEHRAN – “On the roads of Persia” (“Putevima Perzije”), a novel by Croatian writer Yasmin Dar on Iran, was presented on Friday in Zagreb.

Dar, also known as Yasmina Mehic, Iranian Ambassador Parviz Esmaeili and dozens of Croatian cultural figures are attending a meeting held at the Zagreb Municipal Library to introduce the novel, the Iranian Embassy has announced. .

“On the roads of Persia” was published by the Croatian publishing house Cekape on June 1. Dar wrote the novel based on his visit to Iran in 2018. His visit focused mainly on Iranian cities such as Tabriz, Isfahan, and Shiraz. As a result, the novel is something of a travelogue about Iran.

In his brief speech at the meeting, Dar called Iran a must-see for everyone and a different country with kind and hospitable people.

She said: “I tried to illustrate what I observed during my visit to Iran in the form of a novel based on what I had read in Persian literary works produced between the 12th and 17th centuries. centuries by Hafez, Sadi, Khayyam, Attar and others. great Persian poets.

Dar also shared an excerpt from her memories of the visit to Iran and, together with Darija Zilic, the book’s editor, answered questions from the audience.

For his part, Esmaeili called the cultural ties a solid bridge between the two nations that would never crumble, and added, “Every book written with the aim of introducing a nation is a cultural and informative treasure for current readers and those to come. ”

“Iran is home to one of the major ancient human civilizations, and Ms. Mehic’s efforts to introduce Iranian culture and traditions to Croatian readers through her storytelling and the works of great Persian poets, such as Hafez, Khayyam, Attar and Sadi, are truly wonderful and deeply appreciated,” he added.

In the novel, what seems even more important is that traveling through Persia leads to an inner journey that opens many questions about appearance, identity, thinking about the meaning of life and the world. we live in, editor Darija Zilic, who is also a poet, literary critic, translator and editor of the literary journal Tema, wrote in a preface to the book.

In this dreamlike and realistic prose, the author delves into the depths of her being through the spiritual persona of the Persian poet Hafez, but her narrative is not just mystical, she added.

Pictured: Croatian writer Yasmin Dar (1st R) and editor Darija Zilic (3rd R) address the public during a meeting held at Zagreb Municipality on June 10, 2022, to present her novel ‘On the roads of Persia” (“Putevima Perzije”).

MMS/YAW

A new book exhibition? Not far

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Another month of May has come and gone without BookExpo or any other industry-wide in-person spring show taking its place. As the pandemic subsides, more publishing and publishing-related conferences, meetings, and trade shows are shifting from online-only events to in-person or hybrid events. This raised the question of whether there is interest in seeing a new national in-person fair emerge that could bring together the various segments of the book industry in 2023. Interviews with a myriad of publishers, booksellers and other publishing players only gave a consensus: if a new fair is to be developed, it should not look like the old BookExpo. Indeed, no one wants a new show whose business model is based on exhibitors taking large, expensive stands.

In the absence of in-person exhibitions, publishers have turned to various digital initiatives to reach their business partners, especially independent booksellers. Macmillan said that from June 13-17, he will be hosting the Macmillan Fall into Summer Reading campaign, a week-long virtual preview of upcoming titles released from June through December. A handful of online conferences have also sprung up to fill the void left by BookExpo’s demise, including the TP-US Book Show product. (TP announced plans for a third US Book Show, currently scheduled for May 23-25, 2023.)

The success of their virtual businesses – augmented by their participation in smaller in-person events, particularly those organized by regional bookseller associations and the ABA’s Winter Institute – seems to have convinced larger companies that they can effectively reach the audience they need via Zoom and other online services. As one top publisher noted, “Opportunities for account-facing engagements just aren’t as urgent or productive as they were before Zoom.” All of the largest companies have made it clear that their attendance at an in-person national conference will be limited.

Smaller, independent publishers were more interested in a national event, but only if the show got a complete overhaul from BookExpo in its later years. Booksellers were usually the most enthusiastic about a national event. Many said that creating a larger version of the Winter Institute, but held in the summer, would be an interesting prospect. This timing, however, poses one of many conflicts that any new trade show operator would have to overcome: while booksellers prefer a summer event, publishers generally prefer a trade show in early spring.

Another sticking point is the location of the show. Some booksellers said New York, despite its high cost, was a draw. Since the business publishing world is centered in New York, it makes more sense to have it there, noted Pamela Klinger-Horn, special events coordinator at Valley Bookseller in Stillwater, Minn. “BookExpo was the only time of year when I could see my contacts from every house, every footprint, and most staff,” she explained. “As fabulous as the Winter Institute is, everything the world can’t be there.”

John Evans, co-owner of Los Angeles bookstore Diesel, said he and his partner, Alison Reid, have been discussing what a new show should look like since BookExpo disappeared. He envisions a “sort of summer institute” that includes some training, but is primarily publisher-, author- and publisher-focused and is reserved for booksellers. Evans would like to see the show move around the country and eventually be attached to a regional show.

Evans wasn’t the only one to suggest a national show be held alongside another event. IPG CEO Joe Matthews said he had long thought a national trade show could be held in conjunction with annual events hosted by organizations such as IBPA, PubWest, ECPA or the Book Manufacturers Institute. . And Matthews has a clear idea of ​​what he’d like to see in a new feature of the show: time slots to meet with big industry players like Amazon, Ingram and Barnes & Noble to do company reviews. “It would be very economical and quick for them to meet all their vendors, and great for me to eliminate all those meetings in a week,” he noted.

Lindsay Matvick, publicity manager at Lerner Publishing Group, also endorsed the idea of ​​a show that could be connected to another organization – in Matvick’s view, ABA. “Over the past few months, we have started seeing live library shows, and we feel the absence of a live show aimed at the commercial market,” she added. “Virtual shows are nice in some situations, but the excitement and energy of live, in-person shows can’t be replaced.”

A number of other independent publishers have spoken about BookExpo’s strengths and weaknesses. Milkweed Editions editor Daniel Slager captured the sentiment of many freelancers when he said he had “complicated feelings” about a national show. He explained that Milkweed stopped exhibiting at BookExpo because, at the size of Milkweed, it became difficult to make an impact there. Milkweed has become more invested in the Winter Institute, Slager noted, not only to meet independent booksellers, but also because “it’s a great place to go and be heard.”

“

BookExpo was the only time of the year when I got to see my contacts from every house, every publisher, and most of the staff -Pamela Klinger-Horn, Special Events Coordinator at
Valley Bookstore in Stillwater, Minn.

”

Still, there are some things Slager misses about what BookExpo “was like,” like its industry panels, networking opportunities, and media coverage. “Winter Institute is not a media show; it’s really only for publishers and booksellers,” he said, while “BookExpo would still benefit from media coverage outside of trade.”

Chronicle Books stopped exhibiting at BookExpo a few years ago, and for many of the same reasons as Milkweed. “We didn’t have enough new eyes on our publication for the effort it was commanding,” said Chronicle CEO Tyrrell Mahoney, adding that she felt the series had started to feel “very insider-informed.” ‘industry”. By comparison, she noted, ALA’s annual conference is easy to exhibit and features the type of authors who can draw crowds to the Chronicle booth. In addition to the ALA conference, Chronicle still exhibits at a number of regional and national trade shows.

Attending trade shows, Mahoney said, gives the publisher the chance to showcase its brand and “showcase who we are. It’s one of the few times we can collect all our books. And for that reason, she noted, she wouldn’t say a definite no to a new trade show. “I should think about what was lost during this time. I’d say we’ll never show at the scale we once did, however, that doesn’t make sense anymore.

Valerie Pierce, director of marketing, retail and creative services at Sourcebooks, ticked off a host of reasons why she prefers a spring show: “It brings us together as a publishing community, it gives authors opportunities to talk to people. who buy and sell their books, it gives authors and publishing staff the opportunity to participate in sessions where they can discover new ideas that can help shape the business, and it creates a platform to launch very great fall books.

The other big advantage of an industry-wide trade show, Pierce said, is that it creates the opportunity for unexpected deals. “Our partnership with America’s Test Kitchen grew out of BookExpo,” she added.

Pierce would like to see a show that combines the Winter Institute model “with the best of BookExpo sprinkled in”, naming features like Buzz Book sessions; publisher-bookseller meetings; speed dating of representatives, editorials and advertising; author’s opening speech; and author receptions.

Dominique Raccah, Founder and CEO of Sourcebooks, agreed that attending BookExpo helped Sourcebooks get started. “The opportunity to meet our customers, develop relationships with new customers, and work together to grow the business is exciting and essential to a vibrant and thriving book ecosystem,” she said.

Raccah believes a national event should be a key cultural initiative for the industry, and a number of others have wondered why the world’s largest book market doesn’t have its own trade fair. IPG’s Matthews said the lack of an industry-wide event is preventing publishing heavyweights from coming together. “We don’t have a national show that brings out the heads of houses and the CEOs like London, Bologna and Frankfurt do,” he noted.

As president of the Combined Book Exhibit, which organizes the United States pavilion at several international events, Jon Malinowski is in frequent contact with foreign publishers and publishers’ associations. “The only comment we hear repeatedly is that the United States should have a professional book fair for the publishing industry, and that it would not only include rights sales, but also retail and online, distribution opportunities, digital initiatives and other elements,” Malinowski said. “They want a place where they can network, exchange ideas and find new business opportunities.”

Networking and schmoozing were also on the minds of many other former BookExpo attendees. Nina Barrett of Bookends & Beginnings bookstore in Evanston, Ill., said dinners and parties shouldn’t be overlooked. “It’s a people thing,” Barrett said, “and if we don’t have those social opportunities to hang out with our peers and also hang out with editors and authors, the whole business becomes a different animal – almost like a world where you do all your book shopping online from an impersonal website.

Despite the value industry members have seen in the networking opportunities offered by BookExpo, it seems unlikely that a new national in-person trade show will emerge in 2023. An industry insider captured the dilemma of any company or organization aspiring to start a new trade show would be faced with: an industry-wide show is not feasible, she said, because “the big boys don’t care and the small presses don’t need it most cannot afford it”.

A version of this article originally appeared in the 06/13/2022 issue of Weekly editors under the title: Filling the gap at BookExpo

The Bookseller – Rights – Zaffre picks up Hussey’s first adult thriller in three-book deal

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Zaffre acquired Kill JerichoWilliam Hussey’s first adult thriller, in a three-book deal.

Publishing director Ben Willis has acquired all worldwide language rights to Veronique Baxter at David Higham Associates, along with Kill Jericho release scheduled for summer 2023,

In his first adult thriller, Hussey wanted to create a main character that reflected his own experiences, the publisher explains. Growing up in the traveling community as the son of a showman, he created the first traveling detective protagonist in the history of detective novels. And, like his hero, Hussey is a gay man living in this culture, with all its complexities, riches and challenges, all of which have strongly inspired his writing.

Scott Jericho is a troubled and resourceful detective who draws on the skills of his unique upbringing and heritage to solve a series of puzzling murders. Fresh out of prison following an assault on a violent suspect, former Detective Constable Scott Jericho is forced to seek refuge with the carnival family he once rejected. But then a series of murders bring him back inside; the inhabitants are massacred in a manner reminiscent of an old legend of the traveling fair of Jericho. Only Jericho can unravel the threads of this bewildering mystery – a mystery that will challenge the very core of its morality.

Ben Willis, Managing Editor, said: “At Zaffre we are always on the lookout for British mystery novels that push the boundaries of the genre, and William absolutely does that in Kill Jericho. It’s brilliantly fresh, beautifully dark, and utterly unique: a messy ride through the eyes of a detective protagonist like no other. I can’t wait to share William – and Scott Jericho’s – excellent mystery novel with the world.

William Hussey, author of YA books hideous beauty and outrage (Usbourne), said: “With Scott Jericho, I wanted to create a character I had never seen before in detective fiction – a tough detective from a traveling background.

“As the son of a traveling showman, I have always thought that showmen are born sleuths, with a sense of observation, deduction and a knowledge of humanity that comes naturally from their age-old profession. I also wanted to write modern mysteries steeped in the slightly gothic history of showpeople, while giving readers insight into what is still a largely hidden world. And unlike so much of what is written about travelers, this would be authentic insight that comes from a writer who grew up in “life”. »

Local man has a passion for writing and caring for others | News, Sports, Jobs

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO – Daniel Selby, left, pictured with his friend Marie Osmond, right, started writing books about musical artists discography after writing his first Osmond family discography book. Daniel Selby has explored many different careers in his life, starting with acting, then exploring modeling, singing, writing and home care. He now resides in Marshalltown and works at the Iowa Veterans Home.

Daniel Selby sampled several careers throughout his life, including acting, modeling and singing, but over the years he found his true passion: writing and home care.

Selby currently lives in Marshalltown, but that’s not where her story begins. He was born and raised in California, but since moving here in 1988, he’s come to call the Hawkeye State home and consider himself an Iowan. He started his career early, making his first commercial in 1971 for Fig Newtons aged just six after his mother, Carole Evans, noticed how much he loved acting.

Over the years, Selby did numerous commercials in California before finally trying his hand at modeling for companies like Sears and JCPenney, but he found it just didn’t suit him.

“I wasn’t really interested in doing that. It wasn’t as exciting. Standing on a set and having your picture taken is just not as exciting as learning dialogue,” Selby said.

Although he ruled out modeling, Selby found he could act anywhere, so he continued to perform in Iowa, doing commercials, training videos and several independent films he has. said he “really enjoyed it”. Selby appears in “IOWA” (2012), “Revenge: A Love Story” (2014) and “Kultus” (2015), among others.

Selby

Selby said he never wanted to act for fame or recognition, but rather for fun, like his mother, a country and western singer.

“I never wanted to be a big name or anything. I just enjoyed acting. It was fun being somebody else for a while,” Selby said.

Selby also has an extensive bibliography including a self-published biography and, more recently, four books detailing the complete discography of various musical artists – ‘The Complete Dolly Parton Illustrated Discography’, ‘The Complete Osmond Family Illustrated Discography’, ‘The Complete Barry Manilow Illustrated Discography” and “The Complete Helen Reddy Illustrated Discography” – published by BearManor Media.

He first wrote the Osmond family book because of his friendship with Marie Osmond and wanted to do something for all of them. After that, he moved on with the other three, and he currently has a deal with BearManor Media to write another 12 discography books. The most recent, which should be published in December, will be on Anne Murray.

Selby also released nine music albums, which are a mix of original songs and cover songs, between 1976 and 1985 and a Christmas album just a few years ago.

Although Selby has explored several career paths over the years, his favorite has been healthcare because giving back to his community is important to him. He has worked in the home health care field for about 30 years and is currently employed at the Iowa Veterans Home as a home health aide.

“The people there are just wonderful. The veterans that I’ve gotten to know, even the ones who are a bit grumpy, I get along with everyone,” Selby said. “I love this job.”

Selby does a bit of everything at IVH, helping residents and staff as much as he can, but once he completes some required courses, he hopes to expand his duties even further. Of everything he’s explored, Selby said writing and caring for people is what he loves the most.

Selby has had a wide range of life experiences, and her biggest conclusion to date is that most people deserve the benefit of the doubt.

“By doing all these different projects, you meet a lot of different people. You know, people are basically good. We hear a lot more about bad people and it tends to stick in our minds because it’s terrible, some of the things that are happening in this world these days,” Selby said. “I learned that people are generally good.”

As Selby takes a step back from acting, he plans to continue working at IVH and writing as much as he can.

——

Contact Susanna Meyer at 641-753-6611 or

[email protected]


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Sloane Crosley’s Cult Classic book review

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Sloane Crosley’s second novel, an unromantic comedy satirizing start-up culture, modern dating, urban aesthetes and other millennial woes, is dedicated to “men”. With his gift for precision, the author clarifies: well, “some of the men”.

Crosley’s first two books, “I Was Told There’d Be Cake” and “How Did You Get This Number,” were collections of essays reminiscent of Nora Ephron, filled with tender scenes covered in shrill jokes, the emotional tenor of his carefully calibrated humor, almost as if informed by an algorithm. Her debut novel, “The Clasp,” centered around similar themes, brought to life by a sophisticated 20-something cast.

Looking for a summer beach read? Ask The Post’s books team.

In “Cult Classic,” Crosley turns his satirical gaze on love in an age of search options, data trails, Instagram-imposed memories, an ever-present past. Its heroine, Lola, an inexhaustibly ironic copywriter, is engaged to Boots, a glassblower who went to Brown and who, Lola observes more than once, is 6ft 3in tall – as if his physical presence always registers her. like a list of facts, a walking Hinge profile. Those winning qualities aside, Boots doesn’t get Lola’s full attention. She’s preoccupied with a box full of letters from her exes, who she often thinks about; it doesn’t help that their personal sites and semi-professional portraits, their grids populated with newborn girls, their more than lukewarm reviews of overly long second novels are just a few keystrokes away.

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Then, surreal, the all-too-present past presents itself to Lola IRL; over the course of a few days, she meets a series of her exes, each time struggling to experience something like closure. There’s Amos, a curmudgeon who doesn’t like smartphones, beaches and cushions; there’s Willis, a former Olympian who now lives in the Midwest with a health coach; there’s Jonathan, Lola’s college boyfriend, with whom she exchanged wry birthday cards and Polaroids, their relationship “hampered by kindness”; there is Oscar; there is Philip; there is Aaron; there is Knox; there is Peter; there are others, which pile up like events in a newsfeed, the depth of their stories flattened by the timeliness with which Lola passes them by, the content of their characters pressed into the pleasing form of his criticisms (often very funny).

“Could I be with someone I dated if only I had been just a Hair less critical? Lola wonders. The fact that she is aware of her habits can protect her from the trivial accusation of enmity. But its tendency to confuse men — or at least some of them — into a blur of micro-annoyances, crudely worded demands for non-monogamy, and unevenly distributed bills undermines the love story of much meaning or of pleasure: it doesn’t matter that Lola ends with Boots, when their relationship, like the others before her, can be reduced to a few superficial qualities, her size and the hobbies of her friends, eating cereal salads with spades picnics in the park?

21 books to read this summer

Crosley’s fast-paced wit and plot lends itself better to some of the later “Cult Classic” scenes, which take place in a marble-laden boot space inside an abandoned synagogue, complete with espresso, but , notably, no cold-pressed juice, on offer. Here, we learn that Lola’s ex-dating was no accident, but part of a scheme hatched by her former partner in flirtation, Clive, “a Fitzgeraldian figure with an appalling carbon footprint.” The two worked together at a now-folded magazine, Modern Psychology, which inspired him to start a business with Lola as his unwitting test subject. Could immersion therapy cure nostalgia and indecisiveness in love? Hard to say. “It’s not rocket science,” notes Clive. “I mean, it’s not Science neither does science. His directness is charming, and his charm attracts a team of workers whose commitment borders on voluntary exploitation. “I would do that for free,” exclaims one of his buddies. To which an indignant Lola replies: “you do do it for free.

The cult quality of companies offering camaraderie instead of a living wage is an ideal subject for Crosley, who confuses the setup but warmly regards those who fall for it. After the decline of modern psychology, Lola herself is caught in an unsatisfactory position on an artistic site, “covering culture instead of creating it”.

13 wellness books to brighten up your summer

Inevitably, his work affects his personal life. Lola laments that she has become a superficial consumer, a “people hoarder”, “detailing… faults as if I had none”. In a moving moment of sincerity, she observes, “perhaps the Internet has spoiled us more than we suspected and we already suspected a lot”.

Although a longer-lasting love is presented as an alternative to internet glamor, Crosley doesn’t seem to commit to that deepening of character and connection by the end. Instead, the book is a fun mirror on a set of alienated townsfolk, an endless source of clean-cut catches.

Maddie Crum is a writer and editor in New York.

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Edgerunners Reveals First Next Studio Trigger Anime Trailer

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Cyberpunk 2077 comes alive in the first trailer for Edgerunners, a new anime series from the studio behind Kill La Kill and Promare.

A first trailer for Cyberpunk: Edge Runners the anime is out.

The new series is set in the world as an ambitious open-world video game from CD Projekt Red, but the visual style shown in the trailer more closely resembles previous work from the studio producing the series, Trigger, the acclaimed developer company. animation is the best known. to create cult anime such as kill her kill her and Promare. The trailer shows several shots of Night City, before showing off some of Trigger’s frenetic, pastel-colored action. According to Netflix, the new show will premiere on its streaming platform in September 2022.

RELATED: Cyberpunk 2077’s Romance Options Are Sadly Limited

edge runners is directed by director Hiroyuki Imaishi, who directed Promare, kill her kill her and is also known for Gainax’s acclaimed 2007 mecha series, gurren lagann, as well as “The Twins”, one of the anime shorts that was featured in the first season of Star Wars: Visions. The show will tell a story by Polish comic writer Bartosz Sztybor, the author of the award-winning graphic novel come back to me again. Notably, the show will feature a score by Akira Yamaoka, the former Konami composer who is best known for creating the music for the silent Hill series.

the original Cyberpunk 2077 was released for Windows PCs, the Sony Playstation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, and the Google Stadia streaming platform in 2020. Although the game received praise for its art direction and narrative, it was heavily criticized at the time. of its release for a myriad of technical and stability issues, especially when running on older versions of console hardware. The issues were so severe that the publisher was hit with a class action lawsuit from disappointed gamers, and Sony pulled the game from the Playstation Store for several months while CD Projekt fixed the game’s issues. game appears to have been a commercial success, selling over 18 million copies as of April 2022. An updated version of the game for Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S was released last February, and CD Projekt Red is now developing the game’s first DLC expansion.


RELATED: Major Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher Series Updates Announced

Studio Trigger was established in 2011 by Imaishi and several other former studio members Gainax, which was best known for producing the influential mecha anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. In addition to the new cyberpunk anime, the studio is currently working on the third entry of its Gridman shared universe, a theatrical feature that will feature characters from 2018 SSSS.Gridman and 2021 SSSS.Dynazenon.

Source: netflix

Drama Book Shop will celebrate its 105th anniversary with free cookies from Schmackary’s

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Industry News

Drama Book Shop will celebrate its 105th anniversary with free cookies from Schmackary’s

Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller and James L. Nederlander are the current owners of the West 39th Street store.

The drama library
Roberto Araujo


The Drama Book Shop, the famous New York theatrical bookstore currently owned by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller and James L. Nederlander, will celebrate its 105th anniversary and its first anniversary since reopening in its new location at 266 West 39th Street – with a special event on June 10. Free Schmackary cookies will be offered to the first 105 customers, and customers with any book purchase of $25 or more will receive a free coffee drink throughout the day.

Since 1917, The Drama Book Shop has been a mainstay of the New York theater scene. Earlier this year, the store launched an e-commerce site, providing global access to thousands of movie titles. Each month, selected titles are highlighted supporting a different theme. June Pride selections include Tanya Barfield Brilliant half-life (paperback), by Lisa Loomer Homeless (paperback), Tarell Alvin McCraney’s choir boy (paperback), Randy Rainbow playing alone (hardcover), Justin by Sayre From Gay to Z: a ​​queer collection (hardcover), Robert O’Hara Loot Candy (paperback), and Terrence McNally’s A Few Men and Deuce: Two Pieces (pocket book).

Founded in 1917 by the Drama League, The Drama Book Shop became an independent bookstore in 1923, and in 2011 the store received a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.

Longtime friends and patrons of the bookstore Kail and Miranda, along with Seller and Nederlander, purchased the store from Rozanne Seelen, whose late husband Arthur Seelen had purchased the store in 1958. The new location, designed by hamilton Set designer David Korins and his team pay homage to 20th century European cafes and reading rooms and offer a café serving coffee, teas and light snacks.

Visit DramaBookShop.com.

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Step into the Drama Bookstore 100th Anniversary Celebration

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Step into the Drama Bookstore 100th Anniversary Celebration

The day included interviews, panels and a mayoral proclamation.

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The dramatic bookstore celebrates its 100th anniversary

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The dramatic bookstore celebrates its 100th anniversary

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The dramatic bookstore celebrates its 100th anniversary

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Rozanne Seelen and Allen Hubby

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Eleanor Speert and Tommy Kail

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Cass Morgan, Andre De Shields and Kathleen Chalfant

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Patti Mariano

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Jose Rivera

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Colman Domingo and Sarah Ruhl

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The dramatic bookstore celebrates its 100th anniversary

Three questions to Terry Foxx

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Terry Foxx joined us in February as KUT’s Director of Programming and Audience. He is responsible for KUT’s programming and sound (think station IDs at the top of the hour), our podcast strategy (stay tuned for a daily news podcast later this summer), and the growth of our audience – especially among historically underserved Central Texans.

The native Texan has spent the past few years working in commercial radio along the East Coast, so he was excited to return to his home country and be closer to his family.

What are you listening to these days?

Lately I’ve been listening to all the 70s R&B artists of my youth such as Earth Wind and Fire, The OJs and The Isley Brothers. I also revisited rock bands from the 80s – Duran Duran, ZZ Top and Foreigner. Somehow my brain locked me into these genres. In general, I like music of all kinds.

As for podcasts, I’m a fan of Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People where no subject is off limits which leads to some surprisingly interesting conversations. I listened to a new podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers called Crime Junkie. I know these crime drama podcasts are popular right now and believe me this one is addicting. I’m also a fan of political history, so anything Jon Meacham does interests me.

Have you read anything interesting lately?

Unfortunately, I have a terrible habit of starting several different books at once, starting and stopping, and never really digging into any of them. One such book, still sitting on my bedside table that I hope to get soon is “A Promised Land” by former President Barack Obama. Others collecting Twilight include John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief”, Charley Shultz’s “Charlie Brown” and Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why”, a book on leadership.

What do you like about ATX lately?

One of the first things I was looking forward to doing when I found out I was going to be sent back to Austin was getting to the Greenbelt. This is by far one of the best places to go mountain biking. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a great ride while enjoying all the sights and sounds. Next, I like to visit Pepe’s Tacos food truck. It’s a great way to spend a weekend in Austin.

Pulitzer’s change leaves illustrators feeling slighted

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Rob Tornoe | for editor and editor

In May, Insider won a Pulitzer Prize, joining a small group of digital-only news organizations that won the top journalism award. But like Politico in 2012, recognition came in an unlikely category for an online news organization — comics.

Insider won for comic book journalism that told the story of Zumrat Dawut, a mother of three who was detained in a Uyghur internment camp in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region before eventually fleeing to the United States. . As the Pulitzer judges noted, the team combined words and images “to tell a powerful yet intimate story of Chinese oppression,” making it accessible to a wider audience.

The victory was shared by illustrator Fahmida Azim, journalist Anthony Del Col, editor Walt Hickey and art director Josh Adams, the son of the late comic book icon Neal Adams – and a comic artist drawn in its own right, who was responsible for recruiting Azim.

“We put it in comic book form because there’s never been any pictures or photos of what these places look like,” Del Col told the Daily Press in Timmins, Canada. “And that’s why we thought it would be great to tell a story in comic book form, because we can do representations of what those places are like, what they look like, and although we can’t get you pics, here’s a re-staging of what happened.

2022 was the first year a Pulitzer Prize was awarded for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary, though it’s not the first time a comic has won. In 1992, Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” – a semi-biographical graphic novel about the Holocaust, in which Nazis are portrayed as cats and Jews as mice – won the Pulitzer Special Prize for Literature.

The new illustration category has replaced the Editorial Cartoon category, which dated back to 1922. Needless to say, the change has not gone down well with many editorial cartoonists, who see it as the latest affront to their dying profession, which has seen the number of cartoonists employed in newspapers drop from 250 in 2000 to around 20 or so today, at least by my calculations. The irony is that thanks to social media, editorial cartoons have never been more popular.

The Pulitzer Prize board did not explain why it quietly changed the category in January, and it did not respond to a request for comment for this column. But it’s no secret that the number of cartoonists in newspapers has rapidly declined thanks to industry consolidation and the financial strains caused by the digital age.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me to combine them into one category,” said Kevin Necessary, a freelance editorial cartoonist who draws for the Cincinnati Enquirer., where Jim Borgman’s cartoons won a Pulitzer in 1991.

Necessary is not alone. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists released a statement calling on the Pulitzer board to reinstate editorial cartooning as its own category while also recognizing illustrated reporting as a separate form.

“Editorial cartoons are quick, instant commentary, which artists must learn about complex issues and craft well-informed opinions in one take that emphasize clarity in everyday deadlines,” the organization said. in a press release. “Picture journalism, or comic book journalism, takes days, weeks, or months to create a story, which may be pages long and may or may not present an opinion.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Pulitzers have updated their categories in an effort to reflect the current state of journalism. The Pulitzers added audio reporting as an experimental category in 2020 due to “the renaissance of audio journalism”. And in 2000, the Pulitzers added a category for Breaking News Photography, separating it into a creative and journalistic endeavor separate from Feature Photography, which had been award-winning since 1968.

Nécessaire thinks the same distinction should apply to reporting by editorial cartoonists and comics.

“The Pulitzers saw that news photography, which is on the spot and in the moment, is different from setting up a plan for a feature film,” Necessary said. “You’re still using a camera, you’re still using a photographer, but those are two different skills for two different situations. It’s much the same as editorial cartooning and comic book journalism.

Necessary is in a unique position to know. In addition to drawing editorial cartoons, he authored a number of comic book journalism articles while on staff at Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO. Her three-part series, which followed the life of an undocumented immigrant, her DACA recipient son and two American daughters, won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards.

“I try to have a very sharp, almost explosive impact with good editorial cartooning, as I try to really focus on a story, on an overarching topic and a narrative with comic book journalism,” said Necessary.

Last year there were three finalists in the Editorial Cartooning category – Ken Fisher (who goes by Ruben Bolling), Lalo Alcaraz and Marty Two Bulls Sr. – but for the first time in 48 years, the Pulitzer Prize Board has decided not to name a winner for the category. Needless to say, a number of cartoonists took it as an insult, and Too Bulls drew their response in a cartoon published by The Washington Post.

While many editorial cartoonists were unhappy with the Pulitzer’s change, artists who have worked for years producing illustrated journalism hope it will convince editors to give cartoonists and illustrators a chance.

“Now that even the Pulitzers have an ‘illustrated reporting and commentary’ award, I see no reason why there aren’t perhaps more than a handful of illustrated reporter jobs in journalism,” tweeted Susie Cagle, a longtime journalist. comic book journalist who spent years making rounds of press conferences trying to convince editors and publishers that mixing news stories and pictures was legitimate journalism.

“It’s an institutional endorsement that I thought we’d never see,” Cagle added, “but there’s still little lasting support for the work.”

Rob Tornoe is a cartoonist and columnist for Editor and Publisher, where he writes about digital media trends. He is also a digital editor and writer for The Inquirer of Philadelphia. Contact him at [email protected]

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair final number of exhibitors: 1,130 publishers

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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Exhibiting publishers from over 80 countries participated in an Abu Dhabi International Book Fair which hosted over 650 events.

Juergen Boos, President and CEO of Frankfurter Buchmesse, inaugurates the German Guests of Honor Pavilion at the 2022 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Image: Publishing Insights, Porter Anderson

By Porter Anderson, Editor | @Porter_Anderson

Bin Tamim: “Newly invigorated”

As Publication prospects readers know, the return to an all-in-person physical staging of the 31st Abu Dhabi International Book Fair was a major business this year, and in a global publishing region that relies heavily on its consumer-facing book fairs for revenue.

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is a production of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centerwhich is headed by Dr. Ali Bin Tamim.

After leading the opening of the fair this year with the inaugural staging of the International Bilingual Congress of Arabic Publishing and Creative Industries, Bin Tamim then presided over a 73,000 meter long fair, a visibly large exhibition, even for sprawling Abu Dhabi. National Exhibition Center.

The Abu Dhabi fair entered its fourth decade with a final number of exhibiting publishers of 1,130, a nice gain from last year’s 889 publishers.

This year’s presses are said to have come from 80 countries. Indeed, 880 of them were international exhibitors.

Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the Arabic Language Center Abu Dhabi and Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Prize, speaks during the Zayed Prize ceremony at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Image: Publishing Insights, Porter Anderson

“It was a pleasure to welcome the intern againinternational publishing community at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair for a successful 31st edition,” said Bin Tamim. “Newly invigorated, we were proud to present a platform for publishers to meet face to face, providing tangible opportunities for collaborationn between the Arab region and the globe.

“We look forward to seeing how the industry responds to calls for increased digital engagement, especially in light of the grants the Arabic Language Center has introduced.”Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center

“We were particularly pleased with the response to the first International Congress of Arabic Publishing and Creative Industries, which included discussions on the latest innovations in publishing and technology, and we look forward to seeing how the industry responds to calls for increased digital engagement, especially in light of the grants the Arabic Language Center has introduced.

Following the most critical moments of the pandemic years so far, many publishers and book retailers across the international industry have struggled to make a quick and effective leap to digital, and one particularly compelling line has now been drawn between the need to engage young readers in literature and the channels of access and marketing that the digital setting provides.

In line with those points, our coverage includes interviews with TikTok Middle East’s Hany Kamel and Disney Streaming Services consultant Maha Abdullah, whose specialty is bringing comprehensive localization to studios’ production work, which she has also made with Netflix.

In addition, the Arabic Language Center – no respite for linguistics – continued to organize a special colloquium in Paris on Friday June 3, a special colloquium Tarjama (“Translation”) in collaboration with the Institut du Monde Arabe. Led by Bin Tamim, the symposium highlighted how language translation is a way to share thoughts and ideas. In a series of lectures, speakers also explored the rich history of the Arabic language and the future of the language in France.

We hope to hear more about this event from Paris shortly.

Boos: “A promising international fair”

A view of Germany’s Guest of Honor Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Image: Publishing Insights, Porter Anderson

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Fair – which, like the Arabic Language Center is hosted under the emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism – reports that the return of the guest of honor from Germany included a delegation of 80 publishers, writers, illustrators, translators and journalists, with a program of 40 special events and a cohort of 34 exhibitors.

“We are very happy that so many German exhibitors have benefited from Germany role as this year’s guest of honor to learn more about book markets in Arab countries.Juergen Boos, Frankfurter Buchmesse

The German presence unfolded around an imposing and elegant stand with multiple meeting spaces, book displays and a stage with seats for the public.

“The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is a promising international fair,” says Frankfurter Buchmesse President and CEO Juergen Boos, who led the German program, “and an ideal starting point for discussing licensing agreements with publishers in the region.

“We are very happy that so many German exhibitors have benefited from Germany role as this year’s guest of honor to learn more about book markets in Arab countries and to make contact in person.

During the race from the Abu Dhabi show, a report 650 program sessions took place over the week, involving more than 850 guests and speakers.

International speakers included syrian poet Adonis; Indian and lite feminist criticismtheorist Gayatri Spivak; Dutch-American economist and winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Economics Guido Imbens; Indian English specialist in colonial and postcolonial theory Homi Bhabha; German novelist and book designer Judith Schalansky; and British writer Ed Husain, author of The Islamist.

Here is a video excerpt from our Abu Dhabi International Book Fair magazine.

Our special magazine Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2022 is here for your free download (PDF).

More information on Publishing Perspectives on Audiobooks is here, more on Storytel is here, Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is here, and more on the United Arab Emirates market is there. To learn more about book fairs and global publishing trade shows, click here. More on translation is here, more on Arabic in publishing is here, and more on digital publishing is here.

Publishing Perspectives is the global media partner of Sheikh Zayed Book Prize and the International Association of Publishers. Our extensive coverage of ADIBF 2022 is supported by the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

More information on Publishing Perspectives on the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic here.

About the Author

Porter Anderson

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Porter Anderson is a non-resident member of Trends Research & Advisory, and was named International Business Journalist of the Year at the London Book Fair’s International Excellence Awards. He is the editor of Publishing Perspectives. He was previously associate editor of The FutureBook at The Bookseller in London. Anderson was a senior producer and anchor for CNN.com, CNN International and CNN USA for more than a decade. As an art critic (National Critics Institute), he has collaborated with The Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald and the Tampa Tribune, now the Tampa Bay Times. He co-founded The Hot Sheet, a newsletter for authors, which is now owned and operated by Jane Friedman.

Mark Gruenwald’s Squadron Supreme is Marvel’s Guardians

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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watchmen redefined superhero comics and the industry as a whole in the 1980s, ushering in a wave of dark, deconstructive stories that peeled away the veneer of superheroes. The story completely upended the “kiddy” nature of superhero comics, showing what the genre and industry could offer in terms of entertainment. There were many potential contenders for his throne, but a potential Marvel counterpart was released simultaneously.


The Squadron Supreme is a thinly veiled Marvel equivalent of DC’s Justice League, though their stories take their characters in shocking directions. The most obvious example of this was the 1985 miniseries, which featured many of the same themes as watchmen. Unfortunately, Marvel didn’t champion the book as much as DC did with the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons series. However, if the Squadron Supreme is brought back, it could definitely show watchmen themes in a different light.

RELATED: 25 Years Ago, Stan Lee Helped Revisit Marvel’s Past With A Month Of ‘Minus Ones’

Squadron Supreme portrayed a realistic Justice League

Number 12 Supreme Squadron Mark Gruenwald’s miniseries has his titular team of superheroes aiming to turn Earth into a veritable paradise. As mentioned, said team is made up of intentional pastiches of DC’s stable of heroes. For example, Hyperion and Power Princess were obvious allegories for Superman and Wonder Woman. The book would even foreshadow George Perez’s reboot of Wonder Woman by having Steve Trevor’s replacement look visibly older.

Several powerful heroes compete to make the world a better place, whatever the cost. Just as Batman would come to antagonize different versions of Superman, Nighthawk and several other heroes would grow disgusted with the squadron’s tactics. This is especially the case after they begin using advanced technology to mentally reprogram reluctant villains, forcing them to work alongside them for the greater good. This only makes Nighthawk’s team even more vigilant in returning America to the people, a goal that results in several deaths.

Other stories and series would spin off from the 12-issue miniseries, but perhaps none were so timeless and classic. It was incredibly unique, at least at the time, to see “DC’s stable of heroes” engage in morally questionable behavior. Thus, it’s impossible to talk about the story, with its deconstructive take on superheroes, without finding some key similarities to DC’s dark influence. watchmen.

RELATED: Spider-Punk’s Spider Van Does Everything The Spider-Car Could

Supreme Squadron and watchmen both look at the concept of superheroes and their place in the world from a rather cynical but utterly realistic perspective. After all, why wouldn’t beings with immense power somehow try to train themselves or try to instill their morality and mindset into the whole population? This goes for heroes, villains, and everyone in between, with Hyperion’s mentality towards humanity being no different from Ozymandias in watchmen. Likewise, it shows how those with incredible power can detach themselves from humanity, similar to how Doctor Manhattan begins to feel throughout the events of watchmen. Even though Supreme Squadron ultimately has a somewhat more optimistic ending, only after the sometimes violent realization of its concepts has been explored around the world.


A major difference is how these two books approach the concept of superheroes. watchmen is mostly a very realistic series, and beyond the nuclear-powered Doctor Manhattan, most of the characters are helpless street-level vigilantes. This makes the dark, gritty tone even darker, as the supposedly larger-than-life “heroes” are incredibly fallible, sometimes awful individuals. Supreme Squadron wears its superhero roots on its sleeves and capes, which perhaps makes the material even more powerful.

By resembling a “generic” superhero tale, the story and themes stand out all the more, showing how, beneath the costumes, the Supreme Squadron is made up of people who, even with the best of intentions, will end up making incredibly terrible decisions. The friends turn and even die in battle with each other, and the picture painted is of a group that could easily destroy the planet due to their internal disagreements. Thus, it explores the idea of ​​Doctor Manhattan, albeit through several equally powerful creatures. The helpless members of the team are incredibly depraved at times, namely the “forced romance” of people like The Comedian and Green Arrow standing in for Golden Archer.


RELATED: War Machine’s Alien Armor Was His Worst Attempt To Distance Himself From Iron Man

Another big difference between Gruenwald Supreme Squadron and watchmen implies their availability. While DC has always had watchmen on the shelves like an evergreen publication, the Supreme Squadron The miniseries has been out of print for some time. It made the book and the team itself less than traditional, even though they should be. After all, not only does it operate as a Marvel-owned property watchmen companion piece, but it’s also a cool concept that’s outside of the normal Marvel Universe. This makes it an easily marketable title that will appeal to those scared of Marvel’s many long-running series.

Marvel would be wise to reprint the classic miniseries, and maybe even promote it as their watchmen. After all, what better marketing technique is there than claiming to have a version of perhaps the greatest comic book franchise of all time. Likewise, it would be just as well to have characters that are only in their own universe and don’t interact with the mainstream Marvel Universe. This would help keep them succinct and unique, while preventing Marvel from exploiting them as some believe DC has done with them. watchmen.

Supreme Squadron being expanded into a larger franchise would also feel more natural, as these characters are more “mainstream” superheroes. It may not be as well known as watchmen now but Supreme Squadron is still a classic in its own right and could easily become a mainstream hit if Marvel gives readers the chance to enjoy it.

The teaser for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Hunger Games prequel movie gets a release date. Watch the video

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

A teaser for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been released. The upcoming film is a spin-off and prequel to the Hunger Games film series and stars Tom Blyth as a young (18) Coriolanus Snow, the main antagonist of the original films. Rachel Zegler also stars as Lucy Gray Baird, Snow’s mentee and a tribute from District 12 who was merely mentioned in the original story and believed to be dead.

The teaser does not show any footage from the film. This is just a reveal and also provides the release date. Like the original franchise, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is also based on the book by Suzanne Collins.

The world of Hunger Games, set in the indeterminate future, is a dystopia in a North American country called Panem. The country consists of Capitol, a wealthy city, and the 13 poorer districts that surround it.

The titular Hunger Games were formed after a rebellion against Capitol supremacy. They involved tributes – one girl and one boy from each district – taking part in deadly games that often lead to the death of all but one. The winner and his district then receive food and wealth. The Hunger Games provide a kind of sick entertainment for the rich and privileged and remind neighborhood dwellers of what happens when they step to the line.

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The original Hunger Games franchise was a huge critical and commercial success for studio Lionsgate. It also made a star of Jennifer Lawrence, who played main protagonist Katniss Everdeen.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be released on November 17, 2023.

KYD Announces New Australian Fiction Contributors, New Publisher

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
June 6, 2022 @booksandpublishing

Kill your darlings (KYD) announced the contributors to its annual anthology of short stories, New Australian Fiction.

New Australian Fiction 2022the fourth anthology in the series, is the first edited by Suzy Garcia, who succeeds the author and KYD editor Rebecca Starford.

‘In 2021, working as associate editor on New Australian Fiction was like finding a lifeboat amid the endless closures and uncertainty…Having the opportunity to oversee the 2022 edition as we all entered the chaos and slowly got used to the unknown was a gift,’ says Garcia, bookseller, writer and former Djed press editor.

‘ Next to the Kill your darlings team, including my generous mentor Rebecca Starford, who has been tremendously supportive in all aspects of the production of this book, I am very pleased to introduce these talented writers from across Australia, some of whom are making their debut in edition of this anthology.

The contributors are:

  • Kavita Bedford
  • Whitney Chen
  • Maxine Beneba Clarke
  • Will Cox
  • Jacqui Davies
  • Isabelle Gullifer-Laurie
  • AE MacLeod
  • Jasmine McGaughey
  • Nina Newcombe
  • Raeden Richardson
  • Melanie Saward
  • Bobuk Sayed
  • Elizabeth Tan
  • Jack Vening
  • Chloe Wilson.

New Australian Fiction 2022 will be released in September.

Category: Local News

Enriching Library Service During the Pandemic and Beyond

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Program date: June 3, 2022

Air date: June 6, 2022

From the City Club of Eugene:

As community-serving institutions, public libraries had to pivot quickly as the pandemic changed needs and circumstances again and again. With each change, the Eugene Public Library had to find the safest way to maintain the circulation of its collections and the availability of resources. Thoughtful analysis of user responses generated new insights that strengthened library services as the crisis subsided. In this program, EPL leaders share how staff redesigned library operations, using new ideas and approaches to make better use of library resources.

Speakers:

Will O’Hearn has been director of the Eugene Public Library since 2019. He started working for his hometown library in Marengo, Illinois, storing books and eventually worked his way up to the position. of senior clerk. After college, he served as assistant traffic coordinator and then traffic supervisor for the College of Lake County, Illinois. Then he moved to the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado as a business librarian, then director of adult services. He has held professional positions at the Lincoln Library, Springfield and Grays Lake, IL. He earned a BS in Human Resource Management from Northern Illinois University and a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Angela Ocaña is manager of community services at the Eugene Public Library and was a board member of the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Roundtable. She won the 2016 CLA Young Adult Librarian of the Year award, the same year her Teen Pride program was picked on and challenged by some members of her community. She is an avid graphic novel reader and has spoken at comic book conventions across the country, fusing her passion for comics and the freedom to read. She was a member of the selection committee for the list of the best graphic novels for children and claims to be secretly a unicorn.

About the City Club of Eugene:

The mission of the City Club of Eugene is to build community vision through open inquiry. The Club explores a wide range of important local, state and national issues and helps formulate new approaches and solutions to problems. Membership is open to all, and Club members directly influence public policy by discussing issues of interest with elected officials and other policy makers. The City Club’s mailing address is PO Box 12084, Eugene, OR 97440, and its website is cityclubofegene.org.

Video and broadcast

This program will be broadcast live and the videotape will be available on the City Club of Eugene Facebook page and You Tube channel, in addition to our website. It will air Monday, June 6, at 7:00 p.m., on KLCC 89.7 FM.

Contact: For more information, contact Silver A. Mogart, City Club of Eugene, Executive Director, (541) 485-7433, [email protected]

Bestselling author of social media marketing books shifts gears to write killer deer fiction book

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
-
0

New Deer Evil Book Shows You Why You Feel Unwell Around a Close-Up Deer

Dan Portik

Dan Portik

Dan Portik Tom Hopkins

Dan Portik owner of BVS Film Productions and Tom Hopkins at his home in Arizona

New Deer Evil book set for release in early fall 2022

The Deer Evil book will show you why you feel uncomfortable when you see a deer up close.

—Dan Portik

CLEVELAND, OHIO, USA, June 4, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Best-selling author, sales manager for 35 years and owner of BVS Film Productions Dan Portik has been writing social media selling and self-help books for over 5 years. One was co-written with global sales legend Tom Hopkins and became the number one bestseller on Amazon. However, his new attempt at writing took a turn unique to fiction. The new horror novel evil deer follows three families as they delve into a world where unsuspecting carnivorous deer terrorize the planet and are on the brink of extinction.

“Changing to fiction was surprisingly easy for me. For some reason I was able to sit down and start writing and it all made sense. If all goes well with launch, there are plans to transform Deer Evil in screenplay and then in film, exclaims best-selling author Dan Portik

The new book will be released later this year by a publisher to be announced soon. To learn more and where to pre-order, visit: http://www.deerevil.com

Dan Portik
BVS Film Productions
+1 2162155662
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COA: P14.4-M grant for book authors unused since 2019

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Logo and facade of the Commission d’audit (COA) building.

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the National Book Development Board (NBDB) for failing to use interest income from its trust fund to provide publishing grants to Filipino book authors.

In a report filed last year and released on Friday, state auditors said the council currently has accumulated interest income of 14,140,333.08 pesos from its National Trust Fund for the development of the book, untapped since 2019.

Broken down, the 14.14 million pula consisted of 4.87 million pula in 2019, 4.82 million pula in 2020 and 4.45 million pula in 2021.

Administrator

The COA said “no grants have been awarded for three years since 2019 for the support and promotion of Filipino fatherhood.” She further noted that the purpose of establishing the trust fund was precisely to support Filipino fatherhood, especially in the field of science and technology.

The “purpose of awarding prizes to fund…eligible Filipino authors” is mandated by Republic Act No. 9521, or the National Book Development Trust Fund Act, the COA said. .

Under this 2009 law, a trust fund “is established exclusively for the support and promotion of Philippine authorship, particularly in the fields of science and technology and in areas where books by local authors are few or non-existent”.

The law, which identifies the BDBC as trustee of the trust fund, further states that its “interest…shall be awarded in the form of grants to promote Filipino authorship and to support the completion of local manuscripts or research work for their publish”.

The ACO recommended that the board “create/relaunch relevant programs…to ensure the effective and efficient use of interest income from the fund, so that the purpose [for its] the establishment … will be achieved.

The NBDB has also been tasked with submitting to state auditors its final updated guidelines on the implementation of the fund.

‘Recovery plan’

The agency, in response to the COA, said there had been no activity last year in relation to the trust fund, adding that it “needs[ed] to come up with a new recovery plan” for the book publishing industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other than no publication grants awarded, state auditors found no other projects or activities in 2021 related to the trust fund.

That year, the COA also noted that the board could not form an advisory committee to evaluate manuscript proposals.

The board said it submitted its draft timeline and draft guidelines for the use of the fund in April, which the COA acknowledged in its report.

The auditors also said that the NBDB otherwise used its 97.37 million peso budget last year, leaving only 1.04 million pesos unspent.

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Omega Seiki Mobility will rent 1,000 electric three-wheelers with handle

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Omega Seiki Mobility and Grip announced a strategic partnership to provide lease financing solutions to retail investors. Under the partnership, Grip will fund 1,000 units of Rage+ Rapid electric three-wheelers from Omega Seiki Mobility. The two companies will expand this partnership to lease a minimum of 5,000 electric vehicles by the end of 2023.

With this agreement, Omega Seiki Mobility aims to meet the demand for electric three-wheelers for last-mile delivery. Omega Seiki Mobility has an existing order book of over 40,000 commercial electric vehicles.

Due to the low total cost of ownership, demand for commercial electric vehicle leasing is very robust, which is further fueled by the ambitious electrification goals of large e-commerce companies as the need to reduce emissions has driven a increasing demand for electric vehicles. In addition, financing commercial electric vehicles is significantly beneficial to all stakeholders. The global commercial vehicle rental and leasing market size was valued at USD 77.42 billion in 2021. The market is expected to multiply over the next 5 years.

Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman of Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Grip, a new-age customer-centric and technology-driven investment platform. The collaboration will strengthen the anchoring of the electric vehicle on the existing market and accelerate the electrification campaign. The lack of affordable financing options has proven to be a major barrier for low-income customers to switch to electric vehicles. True to the belief system of creating sustainable mobility, OSM is exploring different ways to rent and provide electric three-wheelers, adding to the current push for electric vehicles in the country. »

Vivek Gulati, Co-Founder and COO of Grip, said: “Since its inception, Grip has partnered with over 80 high-growth, venture-backed companies to enable asset-backed financing. through lease financing and inventory financing. The mobility sector, with a focus on electric vehicles, has seen the maximum investments on our platform. Electric three-wheelers are an emerging segment, where leasing the vehicle appears to be a beneficial proposition for both corporate and retail investors looking to diversify their portfolio beyond market volatility to earn fixed returns. . Joining us as one of the fastest growing integrated electric vehicle players, Omega Seiki Mobility, will prove to be a significant step forward in democratizing and organizing the vehicle leasing finance industry. electricity in India. »

Omega Seiki Mobility has rapidly expanded its product line and manufacturing footprint in India. OSM has set up large scale manufacturing facilities in NCR Delhi and is now looking to expand to Pune. The company is a leading provider of last mile services under its “UnoXpress” brand. Omega Seiki Mobility currently manages its fleet in 20 cities, covering more than 15 Km lakes per month.

Grip is a technology-driven, transparency-driven digital investment platform for investors that offers non-market alternative investment opportunities across the risk-reward spectrum that best suit the wealth creation of an investor.

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Meet the Rebel Seekers Who Embrace Rap, Magic and Circus | To research

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Hip-hop poetry, magic and circus acts should be embraced by academics to make their work more effective and help them spread their findings to a wider audience, say researchers calling for a ‘rebellion’ against traditional forms of production.

The group, which includes academics from the UK, Europe and Australia, is publishing a book that explains how researchers can “rise up and rebel” against higher education conventions that make decision-making speaking at academic conferences and publishing articles in scholarly journals the primary methods of disseminating research.

Case studies from the book – Doing Rebellious Research in and Beyond the Academy, which will be launched on Monday – include a University of Cambridge researcher who created podcasts to collect information on how students have been affected by Covid and released a results album on Spotify. Slam poetry recitals have also been used by academics to discuss young people’s experiences of social injustice, and explosive circus acts have been used to explore risk-taking and collaboration.

Professor Pamela Burnard, one of the book’s co-editors, said there was an urgent need for scholars to communicate more clearly and “be more engaging, more fascinating and more impactful”, or risk being drowned out by the cacophony modern media. .

“I have colleagues who don’t come to research seminars, because they just want to sit in their research silo and do what they’ve always done; they didn’t have to go out into the real world to solve real problems,” Burnard said.

“Actually, it’s not just about reaching a wider group and selling more copies. It is about proposing new knowledge and new ways of knowing and, in doing so, really relating to new solutions to societal problems. Why can’t academics talk to people who don’t have a degree? »

Burnard mentions one of the book’s case studies, rap artist and educator Breis, who leads workshops on creating verse and improving literacy skills through hip-hop.

“Through the art of rap and movement, I was able to engage with hard to reach students. I got them to create raps around different topics,” Breis writes. This has led to students producing anthologies, music videos and performances that have been a “huge hit” with children as well as their teachers and parents.

Another example in the book is the Academy of Magic and Science, created by staff from the University of Cambridge and the Judge Business School. His magic shows introduce audiences to connections between various subjects such as engineering and psychology, and aim to “cause curiosity and surprise” when presenting research.

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Similarly, Stockholm University of the Arts uses its circus department to test human capabilities and self-control, and to study teamwork in high-risk environments.

Simone Eringfeld, from the University of Cambridge, said she was looking for non-traditional ways to present her research as she gathered evidence from students about their experiences of higher education during the Covid pandemic.

Eringfeld created a podcast that attracted listeners and guests, then used their data and testimonies in poetry that she set to music and released as an album on Spotify, culminating in a college tour.

“I wanted to reach audiences within and beyond academia. And by podcasting and with the album that I produced, I was able to reach people who wouldn’t otherwise read newspaper articles,” Eringfeld said.

“The tracks on the album, for example, were played by the BBC and places like that. I suddenly have a lot of people who are interested in this work. They just don’t read a newspaper article. C This is a very limited way of publishing research results, as only academic colleagues read them, and this project was intended for a much wider audience.

“I had collected all these interviews, and people had spoken about their feelings, their experiences during the pandemic – often in very emotional conversations. But when you transcribe it into written text, you lose a lot of the knowledge that’s built into how we use our voices.

“If you’ve just read something, you can’t hear how someone pronounces those words, if they’re hesitant, if they’re quiet, if they’re angry, if they’re joking – you miss a lot of those layers.

Research alternatives currently in action

  • “Research drabbling” is a technique used by Draw (Departing Radically in Academic Writing) in Australia, where postgraduate students summarize their thesis in 100 stream-of-consciousness words. Students say it helps them make their work “more human” and focus on why they wanted to do the research in the first place.

  • Helen Johnson, a psychologist at the Center for Arts and Wellbeing at the University of Brighton, uses slam poetry and spoken word art to help marginalized young people speak openly about their experience of social injustice. She says poetry can be used to challenge established notions “of what research and knowledge look like.”

  • The Cambridge Academy of Magic and Science is supported by the International Federation of Magical Societies. It aims to “innovate popular science” by using magic as a springboard to learn everything from chemistry and electronics to physiology and psychology, and helping people discover the scientific principles behind perceptions and biases. .

  • Finland’s Hallå Steam program introduces students to French mathematician Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis and Swedish scientist Anders Celsius through a “performative rethinking of history, science, art, language and education” . It explores the discoveries that resulted from their 18th century expedition to Lapland, including Celsius’s experiments for a new thermometer and Maupertuis’ efforts to prove the shape of the Earth.

GWAR releases music video for “Ratcher”

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

GWAR released the official music video for “Rat Hunter”. The title is taken from the band’s latest album, “The New Dark Ages”out on CD/digital on June 3 and on vinyl and cassette on September 16 via GWARis clean Pit files.

GWAR singer Blothar the Berserker states: “What better way to celebrate the end of human existence than a little reminder of your dark and violent past in the middle ages ravaged by disease! ‘Ratcatcher’ is the true story of the mysterious Flute player of Hamelin. HA! It was GWAR all along ! This track, and every song on this album, is hot molten lead poured straight into your ears! GWAR is eternal eternal!”

“The New Dark Ages” chronicles GWAR‘s in the Duoverse, where the group rediscovers ancient powers such as Blotharof the terrifying Berserker Mode and meet new allies, like the murderous maven known as The Cutter. Along the way, they battle living monuments to a lost cause and armies of undead soldiers rising to fight a new civil war.

“The New Dark Ages” track list:

01. new dark age
02. blood libel
03. Berserker Mode
04. mother fucking liar
05. To the breach
06. Completely Fucked
07. The cutter
08. will resurrect
09. The beast will eat itself
ten. Platypus venom
11. rat hunter
12. bored to death
13. Death Whistle Sequel:
– Ascent of the temples
– Hungry Gods
– Deus Ex Monstrum

Artwork by Alex Horley

The concept of the album is tied to a companion graphic novel “GWAR in Absurdity Duovers”which is also published by Z2 Comics June 3. In the graphic novel, the band members are sucked into an alternate universe to battle their evil twins and the specter of rogue technology.

In support of the album, GWAR hit the road again “The Black Death Rager World Tour”. The trek began May 19 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and will run through June 17 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Support is provided by BUTCHER, THE NATIVE HOWL and NEKROGBLIKON.

After the American leg of the tour, GWAR will return to Europe this summer, including appearances at outdoor bloodstock and outdoor wacken festivals.

“GWAR in Absurdity Duovers” chronicles the epic battle between GWAR and their look-alikes from an alternate universe that the group discovers behind their treasured Magic Mirror. The book uses an innovative storytelling technique that combines words and images printed on paper (made from real trees!) into a seamless format that we call a “graphic novel”. The tale is illustrated by the masterful talents of Andy MacDonald (“Wolverine”, “Dr. Strange”, “Wonder Woman”),Shane White (“Things Undone”, “Braun”, “Endless Summer”),Matt Maguire (GWAR) and Bob Gorman (GWAR).

Dave Brockiewho faced GWAR under the name of Oderus Urunguswas found dead at his home in Richmond, Virginia in March 2014. According to the Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office, he died accidentally of acute heroin poisoning.

Brockie was the last remaining original member of GWAR, founded 38 years ago. He was 50 years old.

The satirical metal band has earned a following for its ghoulish, over-the-top costumes, offensive lyrics, and graphic, gory performances, in which band members performed as descendants of alien warriors who arrived on Earth to enslave and slaughter the human race. .

An Australian bestseller: A book about the adventures of an Anglo-Greek marriage

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

By Kathy Karageorgiou

The adage “everything is Greek to me” seems to be showing up right now – in a positive way. There are record tourist bookings in Greece this year, after COVID-19. However, this major influx of tourists to Greece does not only stem from the “freedom” that accompanies the opening of borders by countries.

Escape tendencies of a fantastical and imaginative nature during the boredom that most often accompanied confinement, and perhaps over-cultivated and accompanied by varying degrees of COVID-19-related anxiety, led to wanting to get away of all ; sunshine, fun, dancing, romance and an overall good time. What better place than Greece, many have obviously decided.

The theme of searching for and often finding the “good Greek moment” has been dealt with in many modern books – and films before, such as “Mama Mia”, or the latest in director Linklater’s trilogy of films – “Before midnight”, for example.

Still, there is renewed interest from the film industry after COVID-19 for films in Greece or about Greece, or both. Filming has recently started in Thessaloniki, on a film starring Robert De Niro called “The Tin Soldier”. And what’s more, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” is about to be shot in Corfu.

And, in line with the Anglo-Greek matrimonial unions on which the third film of My Big Fat Greek Wedding mentioned above is based, comes a book, which incidentally became a best-seller in Australia, entitled: “A Parthenon On Our Roof”, subtitled “The Adventures of an Anglo-Greek Marriage” by Peter Barber.

Speaking to Peter Barber from Athens, he refers to having already been approached for the film rights to his book, in addition to telling me that he is English and married to a Greek woman – Alexandra, or “Alex” as he calls her in his book, The couple live in Greece for much of the year, with time in England. The author’s background includes being a CEO and founder of a London-based company. Regarding his writing, he informs me informatively:

“I have been writing for many years; indeed, my first book was published in 1992. It was a specialized textbook, but it is no longer published. Since then, I have written a few magazine articles.

“During the Covid lockdown I accidentally wrote a book. My daughter was going through a difficult time and couldn’t leave the house. She has four children and needed to cheer herself up. So, I was sending funny text messages daily to make her laugh.

“She posted them on her Facebook page. These texts have started to go viral on social networks. My daughter kept them and managed to publish them. The book is out and still selling. Not my best work, just a humorous Covid diary. “A Parthenon on our roof” was launched more than 10 years ago.

He enthusiastically tells me why he considers this book unique:

“I had such a wonderful time adjusting to Greek life with a Greek family, I had to put that in a book!

Most recent bestselling books of this type are from the perspective of foreigners living in the country and mingling with the locals, but seen as an outsider. This book is a unique perspective of experience told within a Greek family who consider themselves part of the family.

Placing his relationship and love for Alexandra as the main theme, another unusual or quirky sub-theme differentiating the book from similar genres, concerns the construction of a new house – one more building, in Athens. The author expresses the trials and tribulations of the process in a comical and sometimes almost tragic way.

The popularity of “The Parthenon on Our Roof” in Australia as well as many other countries suggests that most readers are able to understand the book’s premise of “intermarriage”. Many of Peter and Alex’s life adventures, colorfully captured in the book, highlight the ups and downs that come with a union consisting of the intertwining of different customs and “norms”.

There are comic yet moving tales of Peter’s encounters with Alex’s extended family (not to mention the outward social experiences of the Greek world) that resonate throughout this heart-warming book. Without coming across as condescending or naive, Peter Barber delivers sensitive and acute observations of his life in Greece with Greeks.

Looking back, after reading the book and seeing its “sunny” layout, I use a “sun” analogy to describe “A Parthenon on our roof.”

Some of his references sounded incredibly hilarious. Other themes (extending my “sun” analogy) seemed hidden behind clouds; triggering mixed emotions. These stemmed from identification with the couple’s adventures and ranged from a spectrum of joy to sadness, even to the point of being moved to tears.

The sun can be hard, pleasant, soft, annoying or desired. But it is necessary, and it is right.

Perhaps the sunlight, prompting popular allusions to the unique “Light of Greece”, accompanied and inspired the author’s moving reflections on his life with his Greek goddess Alex, in a country he love.

What Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” Meant for Women

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

When communications strategist Amy Bailey read Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In,” it was 2013. The #MeToo movement had yet to explode, shining a light on the abuse women can face in the workplace . The term #girlboss was out of fashion. And the question of how Facebook might affect democracy was not the focus.

“It gave me this boost of courage,” said Ms. Bailey, 46, who lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, referring to Ms. Sandberg’s book. “It struck that feminist chord in me – if you push harder, if you just ask for more, someone will notice.”

Almost a decade later, Ms Bailey said she had been denied raises, pumped milk from her office smoking room and curtailed her professional ambitions, acknowledging the challenge of balancing work with motherhood. She also soured on the Lean In philosophy which taught her that a little courage was all she needed to succeed in her career.

“That’s just not true,” she said. “Nobody ever tapped me on the shoulder because I did more and was better prepared.”

On Wednesday, Ms Sandberg announced she was stepping down as chief operating officer of Facebook’s parent company Meta – the boom that made her one of the most prominent women in American business. She had held the position for five years when she published “Lean In,” and her singular role and success in Silicon Valley helped amplify the book’s message.

For many women, “Lean In” has been a bible, a roadmap to corporate life. Many others have come to understand its limitations or see it as a symbol of what is wrong with applying people-centered solutions to systemic issues that hold women back in the workplace, especially women of color and low-income women. And Ms. Sandberg’s departure, for all of those readers, is a moment to reflect on how “Lean In” has shaped their careers.

When “Lean In” was released in 2013, landing on the bestseller list and propelling Ms. Sandberg to the covers of Time and Fortune, just 4% of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies were women. The book sold over four million copies in five years. The Lean In Foundation has supported the creation of thousands of Lean In Circles where women, especially those early in their careers, have turned to Ms. Sandberg’s advice as a guide.

The book told women to embrace their ambitions and not count themselves because they feared that meeting rooms weren’t built for mothers specifically, or for women at all.

“I still find myself at times being spoken to and ignored while the men sitting next to me are not,” Ms Sandberg wrote. “But now I know how to take a deep breath and keep my hand up. I learned to sit at the table.

His message was clear: draw a chair. The text suggested that any reader could accomplish some version of what Ms Sandberg had – throwing her shoulders back, asking for a raise, weaning people who please.

Many found themselves inspired. Molly Flanagan, a workplace coach who was a member of a Lean In circle in New York, recalled that reading the book inspired her to take a contest at work.

“I was at a point in my career where I was trying to navigate the ranks of my organization,” she said. “Things like claiming my place at the table were really big developmental things for me.”

But it was also abundantly clear to many “Lean In” readers that what had enabled Ms. Sandberg to climb the corporate ladder went far beyond sheer willpower. She was a Harvard-educated white woman, months away from becoming one of the world’s youngest billionaires.

“It’s hard for black women to bend over when you’re not even in the room,” said Minda Harts, 40, consultant and author of “The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat. at the Table”. .” She remembers feeling frustrated when her white colleagues recommended Ms. Sandberg’s book to her. “I was thinking, there’s no way I could walk in Sergey Brin’s door and say, ‘I don’t have a parking space’.”

Feminist thinker bell hooks put it bluntly in a 2013 review. “Sometimes Sandberg reminds readers of old stereotypes about used car salesmen,” Ms Hooks wrote. “She pushes her product and she pushes it well.”

And for many women, Ms Sandberg’s book, which focuses on how the individual should change rather than the workplace as a whole, has not only offered useless advice on tackling inequalities. This was a fundamental reflection of the problem.

“Without any structural change, you’re leaning on low-income women of color to support this fantasy of impoverishment,” said Koa Beck, 35, author of “White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind “.

Or, put another way, a corporate lawyer’s ability to hire multiple nannies so she could work late nights on her partner’s way wasn’t going to solve the child care problem for everybody.

Some, especially young women, immediately criticized Ms Sandberg’s book, which the author called “a kind of feminist manifesto”. Others have sharpened their criticisms over time – either when their own life experiences made it clear that stepping up a little harder in meetings wouldn’t catapult them to the top of a male-dominated corporate sphere, or when they realized who this strategy would serve most easily.

“Society has moved on, we’re paying much more attention to women’s structural disadvantages – everything from sexual harassment to childcare to the lack of national paid maternity leave,” said feminist columnist Katha Pollitt. , who recalled many friends and his own daughter, found “Lean In” full of sage advice when it was released. “People no longer see women’s working lives as being determined by their own common sense.”

Katherine Goldstein, 38, started a Lean In circle with friends in 2013. Three of her seven members were motivated by the book to ask for raises, and got them.

“It felt like an amazing plan for how to think about my life going forward,” said Ms Goldstein, author of The Double Shift newsletter.

But after Ms Goldstein gave birth, struggled to raise a child with health issues and then lost her high-profile media job, the book’s advice began to ring hollow. “It’s useful for me now as an intellectual foil to what I no longer believe in and don’t want to be,” she said.

For all the backlash that “Lean In” ultimately unleashed, there were millions of women who saw some of their own potential in Ms. Sandberg’s megawatt success.

“I always call it a before-and-after situation,” said Rachel Sklar, an entrepreneur who served on the pitch committee that promoted “Lean In” before its release. “It became shorthand for an issue that was previously known and unnamed.”

For Ms Sklar, some of the criticism leveled at Ms Sandberg since the publication of her book has seemed excessive. “Male business owners write books all the time, and they go unnoticed on how well their books stand the test of time,” Ms. Sklar said.

And Ms Sandberg has come under even greater scrutiny as public perception of her business has faded. When Facebook was criticized for its role in spreading false information during the 2016 election, some of the public anger was directed at Ms Sandberg, who was head of the political and security team. In 2018, she was implicated in some of the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal. On top of that, research indicates that Instagram, which Meta owns, has had toxic effects on the mental health of teenage girls. Some felt that Ms. Sandberg’s public message remained too focused on individual ambition and achievement, and not on the social value of the company she ran.

“Not everything should be taken into account,” said Rosa Brooks, 51, a professor at Georgetown University School of Law, adding that Ms Sandberg’s leadership tenure raises deeper questions about her philosophy in Workplace. “It’s not just ‘How can I be successful under workplace conditions?’ but “How can I change the workplace and make it a force for good?”

Last month, when a draft ruling revealed the Supreme Court’s intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, Ms. Sandberg released a statement mourning the loss of women’s access to abortion.

“This is a scary day for women across our country,” Ms. Sandberg wrote on Facebook. “Every woman, wherever she lives, should be free to choose if and when she becomes a mother.”

For some women, the post was another sign that Ms Sandberg’s personal philosophy would have limited impact and that there was more urgency to focus on larger-scale policy change. There were no statements of support for abortion access from Ms Sandberg’s company. In fact, weeks later, a recording obtained by The Verge revealed that a Meta executive told employees not to discuss abortion on the company’s internal platform, called Workplace, due to the nature controversial subject. Meta did not respond to a request for comment.

For a decade, Ms. Sandberg’s approach to gender in the workplace influenced both her supporters and her critics.

Ms. Harts, the workplace consultant, was galvanized by Ms. Sandberg’s writings. She decided to create a playbook for women like her who couldn’t see themselves in “Lean In”. Seven years ago, Ms. Harts founded The Memo, a career development organization supporting women of color. Since then, she has received an avalanche of emails, including from black women working at Meta, thanking her for advice more relevant to their lives.

“The idea that you could work the hardest and get ahead isn’t always the same for women of color,” Ms. Harts said.

And now even Ms. Sandberg is taking a break. In a Facebook post on Wednesday announcing her resignation, she said her next period would include getting married this summer and focusing on her children, philanthropy and other pursuits that may not be as neatly charted as the previous chapters of his career.

“I’m not quite sure what the future holds,” she wrote. “I learned that no one ever is.”

Remote work to reduce long-term office values ​​by 28%: NYU

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

(Gupta, Arpit and Mittal, Vrinda and Van Nieuwerburgh, Stijn, Work From Home and the Office Real Estate Apocalypse, May 31, 2022; iStock)

Our buildings are doing well. It’s all the others who are in trouble.

You’ve probably heard versions of this claim from large office owners over the past couple of years, as the shift to distributed working has led many to wonder how these assets might retain their value.

For a while, the office property investment-sale market was on ice, so doomsayers and optimists had to wait. Meanwhile, each new lease was celebrated as a sign that normality was on the horizon. Owners and their boosters have tried every argument in the book to bring people back, from civic duty (Jeff Blau and Mayor Eric Adams) to productivity (Marc Holliday) to vibes (Rob Speyer).

But it’s clear that remote work – frequency and proportion will vary – is here to stay. And a new analysis predicts how devastating this could be for office property values.

(Source: Gupta, Arpit and Mittal, Vrinda and Van Nieuwerburgh, Stijn, Work From Home and the Office Real Estate Apocalypse, May 31, 2022)

(Source: Gupta, Arpit and Mittal, Vrinda and Van Nieuwerburgh, Stijn, Work From Home and the Office Real Estate Apocalypse, May 31, 2022)

“Work From Home and the Office Real Estate Apocalypse,” by NYU’s Arpit Gupta and Columbia University’s Vrinda Mittal and Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, attempts to reevaluate New York’s commercial office stock by “taking into account the flows pandemic-induced cash flow and discount rate effects”.

It finds that by 2029, the value of the city’s office stock will decline by 28%, or $49 billion, as rental income and the number of new leases decline. Extrapolating to the national office market, the analysis estimates that around half a trillion dollars of value could be wiped out.

“Remote work changes the risk premium on office real estate,” the authors write in a draft published this week. “In other words, returns to the office now incorporate the risk that remote working could be a significant risk for offices.”

The analysis looked at CompStak’s lease-level data across 105 office markets. It found an 8 percentage point decline in rental income from January 2020 – just before Covid – to December 2021. All of the decline, the authors say, came from lower rental volume rather than lower rents .

“Rents may not have bottomed out yet,” the document says, noting that 66% of leases in the United States and 73% in New York have not been renewed since the start of the pandemic, and that vacancy rates are already at 30-year highs in several major markets (20.4% in New York in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The occupancy provides another clue to where things are headed: key card reads in New York metro area offices are down 62% from the start of 2020 to mid-May, according to Kastle Systems data cited by the Wall Street Journal, and an average of 57% in other metros.

There are, however, positives for owners who own the best buildings. The vaunted “flight to quality” is playing out across the horizon, the article concludes. “Their rents on newly signed leases are not going down or [they] even increase, unlike the rest of office stock,” the authors write. “By contrast, lower-quality office stock appears to be a more largely stranded asset, given the decline in demand, raising questions about whether these assets can ultimately be reallocated to other uses.”

Alice Walker’s years of struggle against racism, feminism and sexuality

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
</i>Gathering Blossoms Under Fire</i> edited by Valerie Boyd” src=”https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.272%2C$multiply_0.4233%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C$width_378%2C$x_51%2C$y_89/t_crop_custom /q_86%2Cf_auto/96b87552f23a5c51a1c471e6240a2513db347229″ height=”240″ width=”160″ srcset=”https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.272%2C$multiply_0.4233%2C$ratio_0.666667%2C $width_378%2C$x_51%2C$y_89/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/96b87552f23a5c51a1c471e6240a2513db347229, https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.272%2C$multiply_0.8466%0626C$ratio_6.7%$6%6 width_378%2C$x_51%2C$y_89/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/96b87552f23a5c51a1c471e6240a2513db347229 2x”/></picture></div><figcaption class=

Gathering Blossoms Under Fire edited by Valerie Boyd

DIARY
Gathering the Flowers Under the Fire: The Diaries of Alice Walker
edited by Valerie Boyd.
Weidenfeld and Nicolson, $34.99

Something changed when Alice Walker’s novel The purple color won the American Book Award in 1983. His acceptance speech grabbed him: “I accept this award for my novel, on behalf of the people, like my parents, who never wrote or read a novel; the people of this country, deprived of education, health and happiness, and forced to work for the benefit of the oppressive classes, and the people of the whole world…” She goes on to say “we must use all our anger and all our love …”

Anger. To like. Hang on to those words. On the evidence of these journals, they summarize his life. From the start, she had a rage not only to live but a need to be seen doing it. Living was a political act. It takes courage. And art.

In 2007, Walker placed over 65 notebooks and journals in the Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta. Walker, an avid/obsessive columnist, has blacked out everything until 2040, when she will be 96. These 537 pages have been selected to reveal “an intimate account of her development as an artist, human rights activist and intellectual. She has also published a few passages that reveal her, in the words of her picky editor Valerie Boyd, as “a woman, a writer, an African American, a wife, a daughter, a mother, a lover, a sister, a friend, a citizen of the world”. The title Pick flowers under the fire comes from one of his poems.

Walker’s personal life and his life as a writer cannot be separated. There are drafts of poems, speeches, comments about the people she meets, her friends and her enemies. Envy and jealousy are big hitters in his circles. And then there is his family. She could surpass Dickens for a demanding family. But, like him, she continues to give because, like him, she feels responsible for them. And for the world. Change and reform drive Walker.

AuthorAlice Walker

Walker wanted beauty, but she also wants to move her reader elsewhere. The early and necessarily elevated diary of a driven young woman are the entries that will eventually become controversy The purple color. This, and Spielberg’s film adaptation, made Walker one of America’s hottest women. Black women had written novels before, but none had won awards, none had such a cinematic interpretation. The diaries trace the genesis of this complicated romance, beginning with Walker’s own family history.

Her parents were sharecroppers in Georgia, they lived in various “horrible shacks”, and the family stories of neglect and abuse as well as love and courage were more complicated than most. Or maybe for black families they weren’t. Walker was still early and she had already been published, but with The purple color, her precise ear for language, an original imagination and a politico-feminist conscience collided and were coherent. She had found her voice and she had a unique intimacy.

The first entry dates to June 1965, when Walker, 21 and a student at the prestigious, majority-white Sarah Lawrence College in New York City, considered getting involved in the civil rights campaign in the South. Four years later, she is deeply involved. His credentials are impeccable. She also keeps tabs on what she thinks and what she might write, observes that Tom Wolfe’s dialogue is “wooden” (hooray!), and how to discipline herself with “patience and precision” to be able to turn a page white into something worth reading.

New Mutants co-creator explains how to fix the maligned film

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

New Mutants Comics co-creator Bob McLeod explained how the box office bomb could be saved.

Talk to Movie Slash, McLeod was asked about how the 2020 film handled the source material. McLeod replied, “I mean, outside of comic book fans, the general public didn’t know who the New Mutants were.” He continued, “So I really think they should have done an origin story of… Like, the beginning of the graphic novel, I thought that was awesome, the way [New Mutants co-creator] Chris [Claremont] introduced each of the characters. I think it could have been a good movie, starting the same way we did. But just kind of more original, introducing them to the public.”


RELATED: Mister Sinister Almost Became An Omega-Level Mutant – And It Would’ve Been Dark

The eponymous team of mutants made their first appearance in the Marvel Universe in 1982. Marvel graphic novel #4 by McLeod and famed X-Men writer Chris Claremont. Initially, the team consisted of Karma, Psyche (better known as Mirage), Wolfsbane, Sunspot, and Cannonball, only the latter four of which appeared in the film. Initially, the New Mutants were brought together by Charles Xavier and longtime X-Men ally Moira MacTaggert during a time when the former was in deep depression after losing the lives of other students. Over the years, the team has become a mainstay in the mutant corner of the Marvel Universe and has seen over two dozen members come and go.


Unfortunately, The New Mutants The feature film was not as well received as its comic book predecessor, despite being considered Marvel’s first foray into the horror genre. Of the decision, McLeod said, “I mean, the horror side is interesting. Because maybe some horror fans would watch it that wouldn’t otherwise, maybe it would attract new fans. . That’s fine. I wasn’t totally against it. I didn’t think it was the best way to go, but I was just happy that they were making a movie about something I had something with. something to see.”

RELATED: Magik’s Biggest Rival Might Finally Be About To Return


The New Mutants star game of thrones alum Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt, Henry Zaga and Anya Taylor-Joy as the eponymous team of mutants. The five are reunited in an enigmatic hospital run by Alice Braga’s Dr. Cecilia Reyes, who hopes to help them learn to control their mutant powers. While the team believes they are being trained to eventually join the X-Men, they are actually being studied and experimented on at the behest of the Essex Corporation, a front for Mister Sinister’s unseen machinations.

McLeod also commented on the film’s aesthetic regarding its characters, saying, “I don’t see anything that I contributed to the book in the film, except maybe more girls in the crew. I mean, none of the characters look like what I designed. to look at. And again, Magik, who I had nothing to do with, looks perfect, just like she does in the comics. You know So that’s basically what I had against the film.


The New Mutants is currently streaming on multiple platforms.

Source: Movie Slash


new-mutants-26-header

EXCLUSIVE: New Mutants presents Old Lady Magik – and she [SPOILER] Sword

Read more


About the Author

John Dodge
(1556 articles published)

John Dodge has been a big consumer of comic books and nerd culture for as long as he can remember. An expert in competitive games and obscure children’s shows from the 80s and 90s, John has far too many opinions on the Beetleborgs for someone in their 30s. You can find him occasionally chatting about it on Twitter at @JohnJDodge.

More John Dodge

The Bookseller – News – Publishers, agents and authors join the Edinburgh Business of Books range

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The launch of a guide to making literary events more accessible and a YA panel featuring Juno Dawson are among the events in the Business of Books component of the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year.

Held in its second year, The Business of Books aims to provide an international forum for sharing ideas and expertise on how the book industry works and is aimed at writers, publishing professionals, programmers and to all those who wish to know more about the profession.

Taking place from August 15-26 at the University of Edinburgh College of Art festival site, this year’s program features six events ranging from discussions of issues facing the industry to showcases of literary talent. All tickets will be offered on a Pay What You Can basis. Tickets go on sale with the rest of the Edinburgh International Book Festival public program June 23, 2022.

The August 25 Celebrating Inclusion event will mark the launch of the Inclusion Guide written by Scottish disabled writers Julie Farrell and Ever Dundas. Inspired by the desire of authors to make literary events more accessible, the Inclusion Guide, published and distributed by Penguin Random House UK this summer, is a free, easy-to-use guide to making literary events accessible to people with disabilities. The event, chaired by disability activist Sinéad Burke, features Dundas and Farrell alongside Jenny Kumar from Literature Alliance Scotland and Zaahida Nabagereka, PRH’s social impact manager, with a reading by the writer and disabled poet Jeda Pearl.

The Scottish Spoken Word Showcase on August 23 will be hosted by poet and creative director of I Am Loud Poets Productions, Kevin Mclean. Run in partnership with Creative Scotland, it features nine artists from across Scotland: Bee Asha Singh, BEMZ, Dave Hook, Gray Crosbie, Jo Gilbert, Kevin P Gilday, Victoria McNulty and Mae Diansangu.

Shaping Scotland’s Stories: New Voices Showcase on August 22 features a taste of Scotland’s new literary voices and independent publishers charged with bringing their stories to the world. Presented in partnership with Publishing Scotland, it features a reading by Glasgow poet Anna Cheung and is chaired by Scottish presenter and author Sally Magnusson. At the event, authors are joined on stage by their editors for a discussion on the importance of finding and publishing new voices to shape the stories of Scotland.

Beneath the Covers: Best Marketing Strategies of 2022 on August 15, presented in partnership with The bookstore, offers insider insights into creative book marketing with some of the professionals shortlisted for the 2022 British Book Awards and is chaired by Canongate’s Jenny Fry. The founders of independent Edinburgh publisher 404 Ink Heather McDaid and Laura Jones discuss their innovative Inklings series, alongside Jess Kim of Faber and Niriksha Bharadia, the marketers behind Sally Rooney’s Beautiful world, where are you (Faber).

In recognition of the first year of operation of the YA Book Prize in partnership with The bookstore, the program also includes a panel on the evolution of young adult literature on August 26 involving AA award-winning authors Juno Dawson and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Organized by the President of the YA Book Prize, The bookstoreby Caroline Carpenter, children’s editor, the event explores the evolution of writing for young adults over the decades, offering subtle explorations of complex and sensitive topics.

The central role of literary agents in the publishing process is explored in Call My Agent! August 24. Heather Parry, co-founder of Extra teeth literary magazine and the Society of Authors’ Senior Policy and Liaison Director for Scotland, joins an impressive list of literary agents from across the UK to find out what they are looking for in submissions and discuss tactics the most effective ways to build writers’ careers.

Kate Seiler, Head of External Affairs at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “I am very proud of the events we have organized this year for the Business of Books 2022 programme, with a range of themes, topics and professionals who offer important insight into the publishing process. Publishing is a highly competitive industry, which is why we’ve brought together a group of talented and experienced publishing professionals to share their insights into an industry that is coming to terms after a rollercoaster of years. We also aim to give authors the opportunity to meet key people in the industry. The Business of Books offers a deep dive into what really makes the literary scene special.

The American Scholar: What a long and strange journey it has been

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Jean Rhys, left, and Mollie Stoner, in the 1970s (Wikimedia Commons)

I Used to Live Here: The Haunted Life of Jean Rhys by Miranda Seymour; WW Norton, 448 pages, $32.50

Born in 1890, Jean Rhys (baptized Ella Gwendoline Rees Williams) lived through two world wars and over her long life witnessed the many changes brought by the 20th century. She rubbed shoulders with the literati of the Lost Generation in 1920s Paris, including Ford Madox Ford, and again with those of the late 20th century, including the American novelist David Plante. Marrying Ford may have gotten her pregnant, but Rhys was so protective of her privacy that even Miranda Seymour, in this comprehensive biography, can’t say for sure.

Rhys spent her childhood in Dominica, a speckled island in the Eastern Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe that was a British colony at the time of her birth. English was and remains the official language of the island, but a French-based Kweyol, in which Rhys had some fluency, is spoken by the black inhabitants, some of whom also practice Obeah, one of the many religions of African descent in the Caribbean.

The daughter of a Welsh doctor and a white Creole, Rhys spent her childhood among the declining colonial aristocracy of Dominica. A stay at a convent school inspired her with a relatively brief bout of religiosity and also awakened her to the beauty and power of nature. At 17, she was taken by an aunt to England to attend Persia High School for Girls, which she hated. She moved on to the new acting school at Herbert Tree, now the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and when that was no longer possible she auditioned with Blackmore’s theatrical agency and became an actress in toured as Ella Gray. She returned to Dominica only once, in 1936; his feeling of being an outsider in English society contributed a lot to his work.

Rhys usually had a man in her life. In 1911, she became friends with Lancelot Hugh Smith, who was good to her in many ways but kept her at a distance, keeping her in her own apartment, according to the taste of the time. Marriage to “Lancy” (a longtime bachelor) was not in the cards, so eventually the couple broke up, after which they nevertheless continued to support Rhys financially.

In 1919, Rhys traveled to The Hague to marry Willem Johan Marie Lenglet, a romantic but sleazy figure who fathered his child who lived to adulthood, Maryvonne – born in Belgium in 1922 – but ended up winning and losing a fortune in currency trading during marriage. The recovered Lenglets went bankrupt in Paris in 1924, where Rhys, attempting to sell some anecdotal pieces to the daily mail, eventually came to the attention of Ford Madox Ford, who published many of his early fragmentary fictions in his transatlantic review. (Ford’s companion, Stella Bowen, found the work “unpublished sordid.”) Rhys’ marriage to Lenglet began to crumble when he was sent to prison for embezzlement, and she became known as “Ford’s daughter” – a bashing of Bowen, although Seymour suggests the three of them probably had some sort of housework. (Rhys lived with Ford and Bowen for a time while Lenglet served his sentence.) An inveterate womanizer, Ford tirelessly supported writers he admired. In Rhys’ case, his motives were mixed, but like Lancy, he and Bowen paid for Rhys’ expenses after she left home. Ford also helped Rhys get a writing job and introduced her to influential people in publishing, including literary agent Leslie Tilden Smith. It was Smith who facilitated Jonathan Cape’s 1927 publication of Rhys’ first book, a collection of stories titled The left Bank, and in 1934, became Rhys’ second husband.

Rhys’ work is autobiographical, to a degree. Seymour meticulously stitches Rhys’ stories to the events of her life, while scrupulously maintaining the distinction Rhys herself insisted on: the women who populate her fiction are not self-portraits. Her first published novel, Quartet (1928), builds on his connections with Ford, Bowen and Lenglet, and his second, After leaving Mr. Mackenzie (1931), does something similar with Lancy, but these works should not be read as romans à clef. For Journey in the dark (1934), Rhys tapped into his Dominican childhood and early experience as a colonial foreigner in England. In Hello, midnight (1939), writes Seymour, “Rhys endowed Sasha Jensen with her own paranoia” as the character goes through chronic instability, similar to what Rhys endured during his own dismal demise after the economic crash of 1929.

Seymour claims that these 1930s novels developed Rhys’ “unerring ability to create…a world that is both peculiarly alien and patently mundane” while serving “his growing conviction that the dream world of the past and the activity of the present coexist, simultaneously, within the same conscious realm. By the time she reached her late 40s, Rhys had fully matured as an artist, but the grim effect of these works earned her comments in the press as “sleazy” (again!) and “sleazy” . The books did not sell well.

Financially ruined by the Great Depression, Leslie Tilden Smith died in 1945. Broken and alone, Rhys depended on the wavering support of friends and family until she married Leslie’s cousin, Max Hamer, in 1947. Hamer, like Lenglet, was caught up in an embezzlement scheme. and in 1950 began a two-year sentence at Maidstone Prison. By then, the writer Jean Rhys had vanished into Mrs. Hamer, struggling to survive in increasingly poor circumstances and dingy lodgings, rowing frequently and sometimes violently with his neighbors, often drunk – episodes that sometimes ended in police and legal pursuits. In such a state, she disappeared from the public eye for the better part of a decade.

Rhys’ isolation was so complete that it wasn’t until he placed an ad in the new statesman, did actress Selma Vaz Dias find out that the writer was still alive. An avid fan of Rhys’ first four novels, Dias wanted to play Hello, midnight as an audio piece for the BBC, which she finally did in 1956. But her interest soon fell on one of Rhys’s very intermittently progressing works, which the writer then called ‘Mrs. Rochester. Rhys was initially grateful for the renewed attention to herself and her work that Dias’ efforts garnered, but the actress’ growing possessiveness over Ms. Rochester’s project eventually caused a stir. break between them.

Rhys wrote impenetrably by hand (increasingly hampered by arthritis) and had a habit of destroying what she had written during the day during the alcoholic rages of the night.

Seymour’s book develops a certain teleology around the completion of this novel, Rhys’ best-known work (published in 1966 as Wide Sargasso Sea), which she might never have finished without the input of her friends and colleagues. Rhys still lived in poverty, with and then without Hamer, who was in poor health and unemployable after his imprisonment. She wrote impenetrably by hand (increasingly hampered by arthritis) and had a habit of destroying what she had written during the day during the alcoholic rages of the night. But in 1957 she accepted a small advance from publisher André Deutsch for the far from complete novel, and now publisher Diana Athill is committed to completing it. Improvements were made to Rhys’ living situation, and people were found to try to decipher and type the scattered pages or take dictation, for which David Plante was hired. Rhys was not easy to work with; Plante’s idea that he would in fact be her co-author particularly (and understandably) infuriated her, though she could also explode for lesser provocations.

The publication of Wide Sargasso Sea brought Rhys, then in his mid-70s, the greatest recognition she had ever had, and she enjoyed his sudden stardom considerably, but not without reservations. At that time, a successful novelist was expected to project a cult of personality, but Rhys did not want his work to be equated with his person at all. Here, the autobiographical elements of his fiction could sow confusion and distress; some of Rhys’ heroines may have been prostitutes, but that didn’t mean the writer had been one too. She was fierce (and fair) in her insistence that her work be self-contained, apart from her equally extraordinary life.

Rhys designed Wide Sargasso Sea, in part, as a rebuttal of Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre– to its demeaning portrayal of the island-born Mrs. Rochester as deranged. Ironically, Rhys herself had played this role quite often: in her drunken altercations with various neighbors, she fought like a hellcat, scratching and biting and sometimes landing in jail or a mental institution. She often wrestled with the demon of English respectability and usually lost. At the end of her life, no longer able to take care of herself, she was installed by friends in a pink boudoir of their London house; after a first romance, she became so disagreeable that these friends started calling her Johnny Rotten. Crazy in the attic, indeed.

Beyond Rhys’ feud with Brontë, Wide Sargasso Sea is fundamentally about cultural misunderstanding: all the ways in which the European spirit is threatened by this other insular way of being. Obeah comes in, obliquely. Rhys, still at odds with the British society she’s been encysted in for most of her life, captured the same idea in the short story “Let Them Call It Jazz,” based on her own brief 1949 sojourn in the Holloway Prison infirmary, although in this case she clearly differentiated the narrator from herself by making her a woman of color. “I don’t belong anywhere, really,” the character says, “and I don’t have the money to buy my way to belonging. Neither do I want to. Neither does Rhys, who despite his long exile in a strange and often unwelcoming country, has always remained resolutely herself.

Permission required for reprint, reproduction or other uses.

Commercial UAV Expo projects over 200 exhibitors from around the world

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Exhibit space has been expanded to meet overwhelming demand as top UAS solution providers continue to book space for the 2022 edition, September 6-8

Portland, Maine – United States, June 1, 2022 – The organizers of Commercial UAV Expo, the world’s largest commercial drone trade show and conference, have announced an impressive list of top UAS companies from around the world who have registered to exhibit at the 2022 event. More than 200 companies are projected and 175 have officially confirmed. Commercial UAV Expo will take place September 6-8, 2022 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

“Commercial UAV Expo is the go-to event for professionals around the world integrating and operating commercial UAS,” said Lee Corkhill, Group Events Manager at Diversified Communications, organizer of Commercial UAV Expo. “The 2022 show will be packed with more than 200 organizations showcasing best-in-class solutions, giving attendees the opportunity to compare and qualify hundreds of solutions, engage with technical leaders and current users, and find the right tools for their ever-changing needs. We’ve had to reconfigure our floor plan to meet demand and we’re on track to surpass our previous record with more exhibitors than ever before – that’s a resounding endorsement from the industry.

The countries represented at the event are wide-ranging and represent the global breadth of the commercial drone industry, including a pavilion from the Czech Republic and exhibitors from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, from China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Norway, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United United and Vietnam.

The list of exhibitors who will showcase best-in-class UAS grows daily and currently includes these organizations:

4S Mapper
A2Z Drone Delivery, LLC
Aces Ihmire
ACSL Ltd.
AEE Technology Inc
Air Vehicle Safety Solutions Inc. (AVSS)
Aero Systems West
AEROLUXE
Arizona Aerospace Association
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.
Air6 systems
Airborne Public Safety Association
AirData UAS
Airial Robotics, Inc.
AirWise Solutions
At the top
Alynix
Amazon Prime Air
Amprius
Applanix Corporation
rainbow
Ascent AeroSystems
ASTRALite
Astrium Inc.
Robotic Altar
Avision, Inc.
BAAM Tech
Baldwin Security and Compliance
BalkoTech
Biokinetics and Associates, Ltd.
Blue Nose Aerial Imagery
blue vigil
BRINC
Carahsoft
Carlson software
C-Astral Aerospace
CodigoDelSur
Colorado Drone Chargers
Commaris
Commercial Drone News
Control Point Associates, Inc.
Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation
RC Flight
Culver Technologies
Cupix
Custom power
Pavilion of the Czech Republic
DAT/EM Systems International
Diversity Development Network of Canada
DJI
Draganfly Innovations USA, Inc.
Drone rescue systems
TV Drone/Hollywood Drones
DroneDeployment
drone office
drone tag
DroneTalks
DroneUp
Essential
Flyability SA
Freefly systems
Precision at the border
fruity falls
Fullerton Drone Lab
Fusion Engineering Technologies B.V.
GeoCue group
Geodesy, Inc.
Geotech Bratislava/Lidaretto
GizzMoVest LLC
Global Aerospace
Green Valley International
Gremsy
Grepow Inc.
HANCOM inSPACE Co.,Ltd
Hansadrone
Hardshell Labs, Inc.
Harris antenna
Hesai Technology Co., Ltd.
Hitec Business Solutions
HoverCrue
Hylium Industries, Inc.
IdeaForge
Inside Unmanned Systems
Inspired Flight Technologies LLC
InTerra LLC
Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology
Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Leica Geosystems Inc.
LiDARUSA
Luxfer MEL Technologies
Husband Tech
Measure
MFE rental
MicaSense
Microdrones
Microsoft
MODUS – Data Mapping Unmanned Solutions Operations
MORAI Inc.
Nanomotion LTD
Narma Inc.
Near Space Corporation
Nearthlab, Inc.
Nippon Kayaku America
Northern Plains UAS Test Site
NUAIR
NV5 Geospatial
NVBBA
OFIL LTD
P3 Technical Consulting
parasafe
Pendleton UAS Test Range
First phase
Phoenix LiDAR Systems
Pix4D SA
PP-Solution Inc
Aero propeller
Qii.AI
Quantum3D inc.
Quaternion, Inc.
United States
RIIS LLC
robotic sky
Seiler GeoDrones
SensFly
SimActive Inc.
Skydio
Skyfront Corp.
Skyline Software Systems, Inc.
SKYTRAC
machine gun
Stay
Sonoran Desert Institute – School of Unmanned Technology
Specialty Coating Systems
vivid
Strix drones
Sunhillo Corporation
Rapid tactical systems
Tallysman
Target weapon inc.
Teledyne FLIR
Terrasolid
The Ohio State University
THIRDEYE ROBOTICS Co.,Ltd
Tillamook UAS Trial Range
TopoDOT
Trace Air Technologies
Train Croft Inc.
TruWeather Solutions
Tundra Drone LIKE
Unmanned Systems Technology Magazine
University of Arizona Applied Research Society (UA-ARC)
UpVision
USOG (Unmanned Systems Operations Group, Inc)
UVify.co., Ltd
UViRCO Technologies Ltd
Valqari
Velar Inc.
Vertiq
virtual surveyor
Volatus Aerospace Diversified Communications
VR Mesh
vRotors
Warren County Community College
WhirlyVision LLC
WiBotic Inc.
Wingtra
women and drones
Robotic Marvel
Workhorse Group Inc.
Works well
xyHt
YellowScan
Zephyr drone simulator

View the full exhibitor list and floor plan online.

Additional Exhibit Hall features include a Startup Pavilion and University Pavilion as well as a Welcome Happy Hour, Networking Reception, and educational programming in the Exhibit Hall Theater. The showroom complements a strong hands-on and actionable education conference program developed in conjunction with commercial drone leaders, including in-depth vertical industry sessions for professionals in construction, drone delivery, energy and utilities, forestry and agriculture, infrastructure and transportation, mining and aggregates, security, and surveying and mapping. Keynotes will be announced soon and will include leaders from the FAA, DroneUp, Matternet, Wing, Zipline and more.

Some presentations are produced in partnership with the Commercial Drone Alliance. Live outdoor flight demonstrations will feature major vendors showcasing systems in action, providing the opportunity to see and compare systems in real-world scenarios. Other special events include the DRONERESPONDERS Safety Summit, as well as workshops and training featuring night flight demonstrations, all of which provide opportunities for hands-on demonstrations and industry connections.

The 2022 edition of Commercial UAV Expo builds on the momentum of last year’s event, which attracted 1,955 verified professionals and 130 exhibitors, representing 24 countries. The full list of organizations that participated in 2021 is available here. The 2022 edition currently has more than 300 media and association supporters from six continents. Go to www.expoouav.com for more information on the participation or the exhibition.

Register before July 15, 2022 to benefit from early bird rates.

About Commercial Drone Exhibition

Commercial UAV Expo, presented by Commercial UAV News, is an international conference and exhibition exclusively focused on the integration and operation of commercial UAS covering sectors such as construction; Delivery by drone; energy and utilities; forestry and agriculture; Infrastructure and transport; Mining and Aggregates; Public Safety and Emergency Services; Security; and Surveying and Mapping. It will take place September 6-8, 2022 at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas NV. For more information, visit www.expoouav.com. Commercial UAV Expo is produced by Diversified Communications’ technology portfolio which also includes Commercial UAV News; Geo Week, Geo Week Newsletter, 3D Technology Newsletter, AEC Innovations Newsletter, Geo Business (UK) and Digital Construction Week (UK). For more information about exhibiting at Commercial UAV Expo, visit Exhibit Information or contact Katherine Dow, Sales Manager, at [email protected] or +1.207-842-5497. For more information on participation, visit www.expoouav.com or email [email protected]

Former Star Wars Editor Heather Antos Attacks Indie Creator For Promoting Books On YouTube

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

IDW Publishing editor Heather Antos attacked ComicsGate over Memorial Day weekend, launching an industry buildup of the online resistance movement against mainstream woke comics.

In a passive-aggressive tweet, Antos said, “Absolutely heartbreaking to see someone you respect, admire and call a friend actively choose to align with extreme toxicity.”

Source: Screenshot, Twitter

One of her followers asked if the tweet was about ComicsGate, and Heather confirmed, “Yup.”

Source: Heather Antos Twitter

RELATED: Justified Actor Nick Searcy Calls Greg Pak, Mark Waid, Ron Marz, Cull Bunn, Heather Antos, Jody Houser & Other Comic Creators ‘Fascists’

This tweet sparked speculation from several professionals as to why someone would join ComicsGate. None of those who commented noticed that within hours of posting the tweet, Antos complained about struggling to pay her rent with her editorial job at IDW.

She said: “I tell you what, I definitely took my old man for granted. [sic] landlords who didn’t raise my rent for the entire 7 years I rented from them. This $400 raise after 1 year in the new place touches every cell of my being.

Source: Screenshot, Twitter

RELATED: Ethan Van Sciver Exposes Low Salaries in the Comics Industry, Tells Pros Five Ways to Make Money

The comics industry has been criticized for years for underpaying her talent, something Antos herself has commented on. Many professionals who have joined ComicsGate have expressed how much better paid they have been since joining the bandwagon and publishing their own independent comics through crowdfunding platforms.

These comics sell especially well when the creators appear on Ethan Van Sciver’s ComicsArtistPro Secrets channel to promote their wares.

Source: Cyberfrog 2: Rekt Planet

One such person who did is former Marvel Comics inker and Fiendish creator Irene Strychalski, who appeared on Van Sciver’s channel several times while promoting her book Fiendish, which has ultimately raised $53,390.

Antos’ tweet is rumored to be about Strychalski as she prepares to launch her IndieGoGo campaign for Fiendish: Chapter 2: Origins. His entry for the second book of Diabolical is live on IndieGoGo.

Source: Evil Comic, IndieGoGo

In fact, Strychalski created his own tweet thread in response to Antos’ complaint. She hinted that Antos referenced her saying, “Let’s be clear on one thing. If you weren’t there to support me while I was in the trenches, for years, trying to get my dream project off the ground, then you have no right to tell me what to do or who to do promoting my book.

“If you consider someone a friend, you won’t stay silent for YEARS, only to send them messages of veiled threats the moment their dream project comes true. When you respect someone, you don’t try not ruin it just by talking to people you don’t like,” she added.

Source: Screenshot, Twitter

Strychalski confirmed to Bounding Into Comics that she was recently tipped off by another colleague outside of Antos that she would be listed for associating with Ethan Van Sciver. This colleague also warned her that ComicsGate had a bad reputation in the industry.

RELATED: Valiant Comics Editor-in-Chief Heather Antos Says ‘America’ Has the Worst Fans

Several comics industry professionals responded to Antos’ tweet. Jimmy Palmiotti, best known for his work on harley quinn, said: “I try to call this person in private and have an honest conversation clarifying my point of view while trying to understand what made him go down this path. They deserve a chance to explain themselves. The least I could do for someone I considered a friend.

Source: Jimmy Palmiotti’s Twitter

Michael Avon Oeming, who co-created Powers with Brian Michael Bendis, tweeted: “This is the worst. Sorry, I lost a hero and a friend to this kind of shit.

Source: Michael Avon OEM’s Twitter

Mahmud Asrar, having recently worked on Weird X-Men followed by “Oh! That sucks. Such a disappointment.

Source: Mahmoud Asrar’s Twitter

Several other comics professionals consoled Antos for his tweet attacking his fellow creator. It seems the comic book industry enjoys political gossip and dumping friends when it suits their causes.

Ironically, the behavior of Antos and his cronies on the wire is why ComicsGate was born. In 2017, an article was published in The Federalist, Forcing political correctness on employees and characters is killing Marvel Comics, which details how Marvel employees routinely put politics ahead of their jobs, and how no diversity of political opinion could be found at the company after extensive research.

Source: Thor #5

In 2022, it seems the climate in mainstream comics has become so toxic, in the words of Heather, that pros will band together and attack fellow creators for daring to sell their books independently.

What do you think of the comics industry’s reaction to the arrival of a creator at ComicsGate? Leave a comment below and let us know!

NEXT: Star Wars Editor Heather Antos Tries To Shame Dean Cain For His Captain America Comments With A Superman Shot

Amruta Patil explores resurrections and death in her art

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
“For me, there is not much difference between what Kari does and what Aranyaka is doing,” says Indian graphic novelist and painter Amruta Patil. Exploring themes and motifs of death, resurrection and the afterlife, Kari has more than the joint suicide attempt of the protagonist and the beloved. In Kari, the story does not end with death. “We are two, not one. Despite a botched surgery, we are still united,” states the first page of Patil’s 2008 graphic novel, Kari.

Amruta Patil explores resurrections and death in her art

The sense of intimacy runs throughout his stories, whether Aranyaka Where Kari. “Being who I am draws me more to some stories than others,” she said in an interview during SheThePeople‘s Women Writers Fest. India’s first female graphic novelist, Patil, spoke about the imagination behind her polygonal storyline, her conscientious research efforts, her artistic process and how it all led to an enchanting personal transformation. She explains why, as readers, we need to couple old stories with facts.

Suggested reading: Power and leadership: what prevents women from taking advantage of their skills?

Unafraid of creative slowdown or what we commonly think of as an “artist block,” Patil used the everyday way of life – the crows on his balcony, the sea breeze. Nature helps him integrate the visuals into his written word. While reading The Mahabharata at an early age, Patil asserts, “My experience is in many ways similar to that of anyone who feels like they’re drifting away from their culture.” Immersing herself in the world of epics during her years at Tufts University in Massachusetts, Patil knew immediately that she had no idea what culture she came from.

“The only way to fix it was to read our own stories,” she says. Sitting far from her roots in a Boston winter, she immersed herself in the space where jealousy and hatred separated the two branches of Hastinapur’s royal family – the Kauravas and the Pandavas. At 100,000 lines, it is the longest epic poem ever written and composed in the 4th century BCE or earlier. Amruta Patil immersed herself in ancient Indian epics for a considerable length of time until they became part of her DNA and she was ready to tell her stories.

Someone tied these stories tightly to the human psyche and shared the collective wisdom and voices that moved his story forward. For Patil, this aspect of mythology pivots. Its primary concerns are the concerns of human beings. “For any writer, how can you not be interested in something like that? It is not the stuff of our time, it is the primordial stuff. It’s something that’s still out of the ordinary, resonating with how we’re feeling right now and becoming more important,” she says.

Yes, I knew I was the first female graphic novelist – a matter of the right place at the right time, but I taught myself over the years.

“I did what I instinctively knew I had to do. Over time, I’ve paid attention to existing work that others have done. Yes, I knew I was the first female graphic novelist – a matter of the right place at the right time, but I learned on my own over the years,” she says. Read whatever came to hand, transcending the comic book realm of storytelling. She learned to paint and understand color theory. “There has been an evolution. I try not to repeat myself in terms of stories or styles with what I do. It’s mainly for me and I hope along the way others will also care about how they evolve,” she says.

Inspiration

Drawing inspiration from literature rather than pre-existing comics or graphic novels, Patil draws inspiration from both fiction and non-fiction. “Typically, in a book like Kari, I couldn’t keep my credentials,” she said. In Kariher references appear in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and writers like Jeanette Winterson. “There is, of course, the Bible and there are graphic novels that I can use as a reference,” she adds. But these do not inspire him as much as mythology. The Christian mythology that surrounded her when she was in Goa as a child and even the Renaissance painter Botticelli served as her sources of creative inspiration. “I even mentioned some of them in the notes,” she adds.

One can also find resonances of the Sufi tradition in his texts. “I don’t care about purity. I want to tell a story effectively,” says Patil. There are all sorts of references – whether in the text or the words – that run through his work. For Patil, responsibility and discipline are important as an artist. “I have a background in advertising. I fled from there as fast as I could. But, one thing that I got from the universe that I kept is a certain responsibility and discipline. In advertising, your whims and mood on a particular day do not matter. The work has to be done,” she said. “I’m kind of from that school of doing my job.” Of course, there are good days and bad days for an artist or any creative person. If something is urgent enough to say, we will say it, confirms Patil. “For me, my life is not long enough. So if I indulge in a block, for an unreasonable amount of time, I’m being disloyal to the job at hand,” she adds.

You can watch the session here:

A prototype of Google Pixel 7 has been put up for sale on eBay

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

A rumored prototype of Google’s upcoming Pixel 7 smartphone has been posted on eBay, giving us our first look at the new phone in the wild months ahead of its slated fall release (via Android guru Mishaal Rahman).

Google just revealed the phone a few weeks ago at Google I/O, and what we can see in the prototype matches what Google has already shown. The distinctive camera bar is back, and this year it’s an aluminum bar with cutouts for the cameras. And the purported prototype’s casing is a deep black that resembles one of the colors Google showed at I/O.

One of the official Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro images, including this deep black.
Image: Google

The eBay listing includes a few photos of the front, back and sides of the device, although there’s not much to see that you can’t already spot on the official Google renders. . A photo of the phone turned on shows it has 128GB of storage, suggesting that Google will once again offer a 128GB model as an option for the final phone. A screenshot shows the phone model as GVU6C. And a photo indicates that this eBay seller may also have gotten their hands on a Pixel 7 Pro, as you can see the reflection of what appears to be the Pixel 7 Pro’s camera bar on the back of the Pixel 7 prototype.

We’ve collected images from the eBay listing in the gallery below, if you’d like to check them out for yourself:


In messages with The edge, the seller claims to have purchased the Pixel 7 prototype from a wholesaler without knowing what it was. The seller says he realized it was a Pixel 7 after researching and seeing images that looked like the phone he had. They also say they had a Pixel 7 Pro, but they already sold it.

The listing has been closed, so you will not be able to purchase this device for your collection. There was no bid for the prototype, and the starting bid was $450. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This Pixel 7 listing is just the latest major pre-release leak of a Pixel device, which has a history of surprise appearances dating back to the very first phone to bear the name. A Pixel Watch prototype was apparently found in a restaurant shortly before the smartwatch was announced at I/O. A mention of the Pixel 6A appeared in a coloring book throughout January. Someone filmed what appeared to be a Pixel 6 Pro test unit a few weeks before Google officially launched the device. I could go on.

Unfortunately, we’ll probably be waiting a few months before Google shares more on the Pixel 7. The phones aren’t expected to arrive until the fall, and if past years are any indication, we should expect some sort of launch event. in October. . Until then, these eBay photos might be our best look at the next phone… well, until it inevitably leaks again.

Nigerians sign petition against German writer who claimed ‘Soro Soke’

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Nigerians have signed a petition against German author, Trish Lorenz, who claimed to have coined the word “Soro Soke generation” to describe Nigerian youth.

The author, who has written a book called ‘Soro Soke’, said in an interview, “This cohort exhibits a confident outspokenness and a streak of creative disruption, which led me to call them the Soro Soke generation.”

But more than 500 Nigerians have signed a petition asking the author to remove ‘Soro Soke’ from publication, saying she has no right to claim ownership of the phrase, which stood for ‘Speak up’ in Yoruba language.

The petition was titled “Remind ‘Soro Soke’ from publication – The author cannot CO-OPT and steal from a Nigerian movement!”

It said in part: “Soro Soke means Speak Up/Do not be Silent in the West African Yoruba language. It was a cry, a battle chant, a movement used in the #EndSARS campaign by Nigerian protesters fighting against police brutality from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in October 2020.

“The phrase signaled that the Nigerian people would no longer put up with bad governance and would speak out boldly. Demonstrations and community rallies were held for “Soro Soke” (Talk)

“Unfortunately, during the protests, the authorities responded with the military and more than 50 Nigerians lost their lives. Many protesters and activists are still in prison, some in exile. Nigerians have not recovered from the aftermath.

“In all of this, Trish Lorenz, a white woman from Germany, decides to expropriate and abuse the name of the struggle which recalls the actions of her ancestors at the Berlin conference of 1884/5.”

The petition described Lorenz’s book as “a theft of intellectual property and a gross disrespect to Nigerians”, thus calling for an end to its publishing processes.

The signatories of the petition also demanded from the author a public and written apology to Nigerians as they also asked the platform on which she conducted the interview, Crassh, to withdraw their story or remove the false statements from the author.

At the time of filing this report, approximately 55 people have signed the petition, which is expected to reach 1,000 signatures.

Speaking on the development, Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough is Enough, a youth advocacy group, noted that white women have more preference in the African history publication.

“If you want to write a book about such an epic moment in history, why is the white woman writing the book? They can’t ask a Nigerian to write the book? questioned Adamolekun.

Lorenz claiming she coined the phrase in an interview, however, sparked young people regarding the post, Adamolekun noted.

The attorney further stated that although the interviewer misquoted Lorenz, no word was received from the author or publisher refuting the claims.

She said: “It’s been a few days now and I haven’t seen a statement from her or Cambridge University Press correcting this. It’s quite significant, although she didn’t say so in the book. It also speaks to the fact that we (as Nigerians) need to be deliberate in telling our stories.

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Contact: [email protected]

Disney Unveils New Star Wars TV Shows During Star Wars Celebration 2022

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

If you needed proof of its market power, consider this: four days of intensive marketing by Disney comes at a price. The four-day adult ticket to Celebration costs US$195 ($272), plus taxes and fees. Single-day admission is US$75.

Coupled with the American Memorial Day holiday weekend and the nearby Disneyland theme park, home to the Star Wars-themed Galaxy’s Edge, the tourist town of Anaheim was packed with people: Stormtroopers, Jedi Knights and an eclectic mix of princesses and Sith lords walking among everyday tourists.

The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal meets fans at Star Wars Celebration.Credit:Jesse Grant/Getty for Disney

Like its larger Disney-focused sister event D23 Expo, Celebration is essentially a massive marketing machine for one of the most valuable film and television properties in modern history. His announcements and revelations are scrutinized and dissected by fans and media for weeks afterward.

But equally fascinating is what wasn’t announced at Celebration. As fans cheered on new TV projects, the future of Star Wars as a film franchise was oddly left hanging.

Despite persistent speculation for several years around new Star Wars film projects, no new information has come to light. Ahead of the event, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said vanity lounge than expected Star Wars: Rogue Squadron would miss its 2023 release date, and that another project, by Taika Waititi and still untitled, would likely be released first.

Speaking on the red carpet at Celebration, Kennedy was equally vague. “We had so much to showcase with the new TV we have coming, we’re going to have plenty of time to present [what we’re doing in the movie space] the same way,” she said.

Jon Favreau and beloved The Mandalorian star Grogu at Star Wars Celebration.

Jon Favreau and beloved The Mandalorian star Grogu at Star Wars Celebration.Credit:Jesse Grant/Getty for Disney

Instead, in the galaxy far, far away, it looks like streaming is the future, at least for now, with slated Disney+ TV projects dominating the debate.

Among the major announcements made over the weekend was confirmation that the new series Andor, derived from the movie Star Wars A thug, would premiere on August 31 this year on Disney+. The series, which takes place five years before A thugwill receive 12 episodes, with a 12-episode second season to follow.

And another new Star Wars TV series, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, was announced. This project, which follows a group of children who are lost and in search of a way back home, will star actor Jude Law, will take place in the period of two other shows, The Mandalorian and Ahsokaand will air in 2023.

Disney, which never misses an opportunity, used the huge crowds at Celebration to increase the noise on several non-Star Wars assets. Actor Harrison Ford appeared alongside the first reveal of a still – but no further details – from Indiana Jones’ fifth film. And a trailer came out for the willow sequel, set 20 years after original actor and 1988 star Warwick Davis.

One of the busiest events of the weekend was the panel of The Mandalorianfeaturing the show’s producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, and actors Pedro Pascal and Katee Sackhoff.

Chatter on the panel teased one of the main story threads of the third season of The Mandalorianand would seem to suggest that series protagonist Din Djarin (Pascal) was embarking on a quest to claim the throne of the planet Mandalore.

Actor Dustin Ceithamer, aka @That_Dapper_D, in costume at Star Wars Celebration.

Actor Dustin Ceithamer, aka @That_Dapper_D, in costume at Star Wars Celebration.

This would make his former ally, Bo-Katan Kryze (Sackhoff), now a rival, as his long-arc storyline in Star Wars mythology has involved reclaiming the vacant throne of his home planet. According to the canon of the story, the wielder of the legendary “darksaber”, a type of Jedi lightsaber, is the rightful heir.

“My dad raised me on sci-fi, he raised me on strong characters, and when I was little we didn’t have a lot of strong female characters to discuss,” Sackhoff told the audience of Celebration.

“Being able to play the women that I have been able to play throughout my career has been a gift, and strong women continue to come to me…and the fact that they trusted me to bring [Bo-Katan] at live-action, I pinch myself.

Audiences also got a glimpse of the highly anticipated Star Wars series Ahsokastarring Rosario Dawson as the eponymous ancient Jedi who appeared in episodes of The Mandalorian. This series is scheduled for release in 2023.

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And despite an appearance by New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison, who plays iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett in the TV series Boba Fett’s Bookthe absence of any footage or discussion of a second season was enough to spark speculation that the show’s only season would be standalone.

“There is no official word yet [on a second season]”, Morrison said. “They filmed it as if it could be a good book and we read the book. If not, we could write another book.

Disney holds the Celebration and D23 Expo conventions in alternate years, typically, and Celebration has historically moved between cities such as London, Chicago, and Orlando. Due to pandemic-related scheduling delays, both events are taking place in Anaheim, California in 2022.

Discover the next TV series, streaming and movies to add to your must-haves. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.

Why the press will never have another Watergate moment

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
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You’ll be hearing a lot about Watergate in the coming weeks, as we approach the 50th anniversary of the infamous June 17, 1972 burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. There will be documentaries, cable debates, the finale of this miniseries by Julia Roberts (“Gaslit”) based on the popular Watergate podcast (“Slow Burn”). I’ll be hosting a panel discussion at the Library of Congress on the anniversary itself — and you can certainly count on a few retrospectives in that same journal.

The scandal resonates strongly with the Washington Post, which won a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1973 for its fearless reporting and the courage it took to publish it. And that has special meaning for me because, like many of my generation, I was first drawn into journalism by the Senate television hearings in 1973, and I was captivated by the film of 1976 “All the President’s Men”, based on the book by Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

Yet thinking about Watergate saddens me these days. The nation that came together to force a corrupt president to resign and send many of his co-conspirator prison aides is a nation that no longer exists.

It’s not just our policies that have changed. This is also our radically transformed media environment.

“National newspapers mattered in ways unimaginable to us today, and even regional newspapers were incredibly strong,” Garrett Graff, author of “Watergate: A New History,” told me last week. I was immersed in its nearly 800-page story — a “remarkably rich narrative,” former Post editor Leonard Downie Jr. called it in a review — that aims to tell the whole story.

7-hour gap in Trump calls hints at missing spot on Nixon’s tapes

Graff portrays Watergate not as a singular event, but as the entire mindset of the Nixon presidency – “a shaggy umbrella of a dozen separate scandals”, as he told me. By the time the burglary caught the attention of most Americans, they were “essentially entering the second or third act of a play.”

Woodward and Bernstein were almost alone on the story for months. But eventually, the nation’s major newspapers began covering the hell out of the budding scandal and the percolating questions of what — and when — the president knew about the burglary plot.

Americans read this coverage in their local newspapers; many towns still had two or more dailies at this time. Later, they were fascinated by the proceedings of the Senate Watergate Committee, whose hearings were broadcast live on all three major television networks in the summer of 1973. Graff reports that the average American household watched 30 hours of the hearings, which were also rebroadcast at night by PBS. (“Best thing to happen to public television since ‘Sesame Street,'” noted a television reviewer from the Los Angeles Times.)

Still, “We forget how nearly Nixon survived Watergate,” Graff told me. “Even at the end of the hearings, there was no guarantee that Nixon was out of office.”

What changed that? Growing public awareness of the president’s misdeeds and cover-up. “The mere hoarding of lies,” he said, “at a time when the idea that a president could lie to America was unthinkable.”

Flash-forward to today. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection will hold hearings beginning early next month, some of which will be televised in prime time. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Democrat from Maryland who is a prominent member, predicts the revelations will ‘blow the roof off the House’ – offering evidence, he promises, of a staged coup attempt involving Trump, his closest allies and supporters who attacked the Capitol as they attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

I am ready to believe that the hearings will be dramatic. They might even change some people’s minds. But the amount of public attention they will get will be miniscule compared to what happened when folksy Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina chaired the Senate Watergate committee.

Our media environment is much more fractured and news agencies are much less reliable.

And in part, we can blame the rise of a right-wing media system. At its heart is Fox News, which was founded in 1996, nearly a quarter century after the heist, with a purported mission to provide “fair and balanced” counterpoint to mainstream media. Of course, that message often manifested itself in relentless and damaging criticism of his new rivals. Meanwhile, Fox and company have served as a very effective laundry service for Trump’s lies. With the help of this network, his tens of thousands of false or misleading claims have found fertile ground among his staunch supporters – oblivious to the skillful reporting elsewhere that has exposed and debunked these lies.

It’s time for local reporters to heed the racism we overlooked

According to Graff, the growth of right-wing media has allowed many Republican members of Congress to turn a blind eye to the misdeeds of Team Trump. This was not the case during the Watergate investigation; after all, it was Senator Howard Baker, the Republican of Tennessee, who asked the immortal question: “What did the President know and when did he know it?” Even stalwart conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona was among those who, in the end, managed to convince Nixon that he should step down.

“Republican members of Congress realized they had a unique and important role as the legislative branch to check executive branch abuses,” Graff said. “This freedom of action was made possible because there was no right-wing media ecosystem.”

All was not good in the media world of the 1970s. It was almost entirely white and male, barely open to other views or voices. This was long before the democratizing effect of the internet, which elevated the ideas of people of color, women and other marginalized groups.

But it was a time when we had news media earning the trust of the general public, a necessity to help bring Nixon to justice. This, at least during his presidency, was never possible with Donald Trump.

As we remember Watergate, we must remember how highly unlikely its just conclusion would be today.

The presidency of Richard M. Nixon would have survived.

Melissa Etheridge looks back, forwards and lands at City Winery

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Melissa Etheridge has a fondness for her early songs, deep cuts and flops. While some artists cringe at things they wrote decades ago, Etheridge doesn’t hate anything she’s done. This was not always the case.

“There was a song on my album ‘Lucky’ (‘Breathe’) that I didn’t like, that I didn’t even write,” Etheridge told the Herald. “The record company came to me and said I needed a hit. I thought my career was over and I never played the song after the ‘Lucky’ tour because of that. Then during EtheridgeTV I decided to re-open this song because I don’t need to hate a song I’ve done.

A road warrior, Etheridge didn’t like the idea of ​​spending the pandemic sitting still. She needed to pay the bills, keep herself busy, and find an outlet for her art. She started a streaming channel, EtheridgeTV, where she streamed solo shows around the world via the internet. But instead of sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar and strumming (never her style anyway), she looped keyboards and percussion instruments to create a sonic bed on which to lay her voice and sound. guitar.

“When I saw the dates were starting to get canceled I said, ‘Oh no, it’s going to be long,'” she said. streaming, cameras, sound and lights. It really reconnected me to my job.

“EtheridgeTV really made me fall in love with my whole catalog all over again,” she added.

For four nights at Boston’s City Winery, she’ll conjure up similar magic with solo exhibitions in early June. For the diehards, the intimate evenings will be a real treat – she only does the solo gigs here and in New York.

For Etheridge, the City Winery residence also represents a kind of homecoming. In the 80s, the singer spent some time at Berklee College of Music. She dropped out to pursue music full time and does not regret her choice.

“I look back and say, ‘God, I could have learned more guitar,'” she laughed. “I definitely didn’t have the patience for all that.”

What she had time for was acting, writing, singing and touring constantly. Even before releasing her debut album, 1988’s double platinum “Melissa Etheridge,” she was storing songs. Just as the pandemic has helped her connect with her released catalog, it’s given her a chance to dig into old demo tapes of unreleased stuff she wrote in the 80s and 90s – the 2021 album “One Way Out” made him re-record the lost tunes.

“These were songs that I really liked but brought into the studio and I got scared,” she said. “I said, ‘It’s too feminist, it’s too gay.’ I censored myself but when I found them I thought, “They’re so awesome. They’ve been so much fun to add to the set list.”

Ethridge will continue to look back with a graphic novel loosely based on his future life and has pledged to complete a longer, more traditional autobiography next year.

“I definitely have a more zen approach to my whole life, my whole catalog, my whole experience,” she said. “For the past two years, I’ve looked at my whole career while moving forward.”

For tickets and details, go to citywinery.com/Boston.

Bengaluru court draws up plan to start Gauri Lankesh murder trial from July 4

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The Chief Civil Judge and Sessions Court of Bangalore City has drawn up a plan to conduct the trial of the murder of the journalist Gauri Lankesh from July 4, hearings to be held every two weeks of a month.

To begin the trial, the Court of Sessions summoned the first witness – Kavitha Lankesh, younger sister of the murdered journalist– but did not record his statement on Friday as some of the defendants jailed in Maharashtra were not present in court.

The Special Investigation Team has named 17 people from fringe Hindutva groups for the murder plot and the murder of Kannada publication editor, Lankesh Patrike, 55, at his doorstep in the night of September 5, 2017.

On Thursday, a new sessional court judge denied a defense attorney’s request to conduct the trial in the physical presence of all defendants and ordered their attendance by videoconference.

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While eleven of the defendants were brought to court on Thursday via video link, six defendants held at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail were not. Defense counsel requested the physical presence of all defendants.

“At the hearing of the two parties, the defense’s request to physically force these defendants to be present during the trial is not feasible because their presence by videoconference can be secured. Virtual presence having been accepted as a mode of presence before the court, the said prayer is rejected,” the trial court ruled on Friday.

“Bengaluru Prison and Arthur Road Jail authorities are required to ensure the virtual presence of the defendant during the trial,” the court added.

The magistrates’ court also rejected a request by Special Prosecutor S Balan to open the trial with the recording of the statement of the first witness arguing that it would not identify any of the defendants. “The presence of the accused during the trial being the basic principle of any trial, such a prayer in the absence of the consent of the defense is not tenable,” the court said.

The court said both parties had agreed that the trial would be held continuously for one week per month. He scheduled the first trial session for July 4-8, before releasing the case for a “further case management hearing, if any” on June 4.

The decks were cleared for trial in October 2021 when charges of murder, organized crime and crimes committed with firearms have been laid against 17 members of a far-right trade union by the Main Sessions Court. The formulation of the charges had been delayed for more than two years due to the Covid pandemic and the multiple motions filed by the defendants. Charges have been laid under Section 302 (Murder) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 120B (criminal association) and others related to crimes committed with criminal knowledge and intent, as well as under the Karnataka Organized Crime Act and Arms Act.

Lankesh, an outspoken critic of Hindutva, was shot dead outside her home in West Bengaluru by two assassins on motorbikes. The arrested defendants, who were allegedly trained by a secret far-right group in the use of firearms and explosives, allegedly targeted the journalist for being “anti-Hindu”. They pleaded not guilty.

The defendant allegedly formed a syndicate to carry out murders and attacks – mainly in Karnataka and Maharashtra – between 2013 and 2018.

“Members of this organization targeted people they identified as hostile to their belief and ideology. The members strictly followed the guidelines and principles mentioned in Kshatra Dharma Sadhana, a book published by Sanatan Sanstha,” police said after filing an additional 9,235-page indictment on November 23, 2018. An indictment preliminary charge was filed earlier.

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Early in their investigation, police discovered that the domestically-made 7.65mm pistol used to shoot the journalist was the same one that was allegedly used to kill Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi, 77, at his home in Dharwad on 30 August 2015. The same gun was also allegedly used to shoot left-wing thinker Govind Pansare, 81, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra on February 16, 2015 (he died on February 20, 2015), while a second gun used in the Pansare shooting was found matching a firearm which was allegedly used to shoot Maharashtra rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, 69, in Pune on August 20, 2013.

The investigation into the Lankesh murder case revealed the existence of a network of Hindu extremists in the country. Several of the defendants in this case allegedly received training on weapons and explosives from people identified only by false names and suspected of links to terrorist acts during the period 2006-2008.

The accused arrested are Amol Kale, 37; Parashuram Waghmore, 27; Ganesh Miskin, 27; Amith Baddi, 27; Amith Degvekar, 38; Bharat Kurane, 37; Suresh HL, 36; Rajesh Bangera, 50; Sudhanva Gondalekar, 39; Sharad Kalaskar, 25; Mohan Nayak, 50; Vasudev Suryavanshi, 29; Sujith Kumar, 37; Manohara Edave, 29; Srikanth Pangarkar, 40; KT Naveen Kumar, 37; and Rushikesh Deodikar, 44.

Starwood Property Trust (STWD): 8.3% yield, inflation protection

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

marsmeena29/iStock via Getty Images

The yield of Starwood Property Trust Inc. (NYSE: STWD) is already attractive, but I’m going to double down on the mortgage trust when I get the chance. Last month, Starwood Property reported strong 1Q-22 earnings, and the trust’s real estate holdings provide a natural hedge against inflation.

Starwood Property also easily outperformed its dividend with distributable earnings in the first quarter, making STWD a very reliable dividend-paying trust going forward.

Inflation protection

Despite record inflation rates, life is still good for real estate investors. Despite rising interest rates making financing and acquisition transactions more expensive for mortgage trusts, real estate has always been the best asset class to own in a rising interest rate environment. ‘inflation. In April, inflation reached 8.3% and is expected to remain high for some time.

Real estate has traditionally been a good hedge against inflation because as consumer prices rise, so do rents and property values. In my opinion, high-quality trusts such as Starwood Property, which also own real estate portfolios, are excellent investments during times of skyrocketing inflation.

Starwood Property Trust’s primary business is origination of mortgages, but the trust also has a property portfolio. In 1Q-22, the gross value of these properties was $2.2 billion. These properties were worth $1.4 billion on a net basis, that is, after taking into account financing agreements. Despite the fact that real estate investments represent only a minor part of Starwood Property’s business, the trust’s real estate assets have upside potential as inflation rises.

Portfolio overview

Portfolio overview (Starwood Realty Trust)

Stable distributable income, growth in commercial loans

Starwood Property earned $240 million, or $0.76 per share, in the first quarter, compared with $150.8 million, or $0.50 per share, in the same period last year. The trust’s distributable earnings per share for the last quarter included a gain of $0.27 per share from the sale of a distribution facility acquired in a foreclosure. Excluding the one-time gain, Starwood Property Trust generated distributable earnings of $0.49 per share, an important metric for assessing the safety of the trust’s dividends.

distributable profit

distributable profit (Starwood Realty Trust)

As noted earlier, commercial mortgages are Starwood Property’s primary source of revenue. As of March 31, 2022, the carrying value of these loans was $14.8 billion. During the pandemic, Starwood Property aggressively expanded its commercial business: From 1Q-20 to 1Q-22, assets included in commercial lending business grew 56%.

Today, 92% of loans are first mortgages, which are primary liens on real estate, the highest quality category of commercial loans because they are very likely to be repaid.

The loan-to-value ratio, or LTV ratio, determines the level of risk that a borrower or an investment portfolio of real estate assets faces: Starwood Property’s LTV ratio was 61% at the end of last quarter, which is a low ratio. The higher the LTV ratio, the less secure the repayment of the loan. When a recession looms and borrowers come under increasing financial stress, high LTV ratios are a problem.

Commercial Portfolio LTV

Commercial Portfolio LTV (Starwood Real Estate Trust)

The dividend is safe

I have no reservations about the Starwood Property dividend; it is extremely secure. Over the past year, the trust has consistently outperformed its dividend, and actual distributable earnings, as reported by the company, are even higher than the adjusted earnings shown below.

The adjusted distributable earnings line below corrects for one-time gains, such as the $0.27 per share gain noted above, which are sometimes included in Starwood Property earnings.

Dividend and payout ratio

Dividend and payout ratio (Author created using Company Disclosures)

A low multiple

Due to the Trust’s large asset base, I value Starwood Property on a book value basis. The trust has a book value multiple of 1.16x, which is a very reasonable multiple for Starwood Property, given that the company pays its dividend and has seen strong growth during the pandemic. Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc. (BXMT)for example, sells for a comparable multiple.

Chart
Data by YCharts

Why Starwood Property Trust shares could lose value

A sharp decline in the U.S. real estate market, particularly in multifamily real estate, where Starwood Property’s commercial lending is concentrated, could jeopardize the trust’s estimated credit losses as well as its income from real estate assets.

Starwood Property, on the other hand, has an excellent reputation which it has earned over time by making sound investment decisions and paying a consistent dividend. During the pandemic, the trust created and acquired real estate assets aggressively and countercyclically. That said, a recession remains a risk factor for Starwood Property’s valuation.

My conclusion

Starwood Property Trust is a mortgage trust that I buy on every dip. The trust’s $0.48 per share dividend is covered by distributable earnings, and management has doubled its commercial loan portfolio during the pandemic.

In the future, the real estate segment could benefit from inflation, which would cause the valuation of the trust’s assets to increase. The dividend is safe and the multiple of book value is fair.

The Strategic Seller: The Los Angeles Real Estate Bible

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The HITT Home team is delighted to announce the launch of The Strategic Seller book by David Hitt.

The local HITT team is delighted to announce the launch of The Strategic Seller book by David Hitt and Krista Mashore. Everyone in the real estate game and reviewers will love this book.

The book is all about the information one needs as a Seller in Los Angeles to enjoy the ride and get the best result. It will guide you from what to look for in a listing agent through to the final negotiations and closing process. Tips, things to do before your home hits the market, this masterpiece has it all. It is the product of the authors’ experience of over 25 years in the real estate game. A must for all Los Angeles real estate enthusiasts.

About the authors

David Hit of the HITT Home team, has over 25 years of real estate experience as an Associate Broker and Loan Officer, previously with Coldwell Banker and Prudential California Realty, currently with Keller Williams Realty in Los Angeles, CA. The seasoned real estate agent understands all the ins and outs of the ever-changing Southern California real estate market. He is a well-known connector, mentor and influencer having developed an extensive network of agents across the country and abroad. Mr. Hitt is a repeat winner of the Chairman Circle Gold Award and the Diamond Society Award.

“Home PROPERTY has ALWAYS been my dream,” says David. “When I realized MY dream, I wanted to help others make their real estate dreams a reality. When you work with me, you get more than just an “agent” – you get someone who understands every step of the process and every emotion that comes with it. My entire process is focused on your needs and leads to a successful conclusion! »

Krista Mashore is the CEO of two multi-million dollar companies. As one of the top 1% of real estate agents in the country, Krista has sold over 2,300 homes since entering the field in 2001. She is known as the Queen of Digital Marketing and Yahoo Finances #1 digital marketers to watch in 2021.

Author of four best-selling books, Krista now coaches and trains agents and professionals to become digital marketing experts. She has currently earned over 25 million using her proven strategies in a single company. Krista’s ultimate goal is to help customers and her community in any way possible.

Contact The local HITT team on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin, Tiktok

Media Contact
Company Name: The local HITT team
Contact person: David Hit
E-mail: Send an email
Call: (818) 422-1702
Country: United States
Website: http://www.TheHITTHomeTeam.com

New book co-edited by Dr. David Nguyen offers insight for higher education professionals on ways to support graduate students

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Posted: May 26, 2022


Author: Staff Reports

Associate Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs and incoming Dean of University College, Dr. David Nguyen hopes to help graduate school administrators, student affairs professionals, and faculty better understand and support their graduate students through publication. of a new book he co-edited with Dr. Christina Yao of the University of South Carolina.

“A handbook to support today’s graduate studentsdescribes the programs, initiatives and interventions that lead to overall graduate student perseverance and success. The book brings together student affairs and academic professionals to identify ways to support the whole student beyond just academic performance. Additionally, much consideration has focused on holistic conceptualizations for undergraduate students, but graduate students also compromise a significant proportion of campus populations and receive less attention. By highlighting this population of students, Nguyen aims to raise awareness of their specific needs as well.

The book offers ways to better support today’s graduate student population, responds to the needs of today’s changing student demographics, and examines the challenges facing today’s graduate students. inside and outside the classroom. One of the main goals of the book is to highlight ways in which programs, departments, and institutions can support the academic, personal, and professional development of students. Throughout each chapter of the book, the authors highlight different ways to support students on an individual or institutional level. Collectively, Nguyen and Yao’s volume highlights practical ways graduate educators can support students inside and outside the classroom.

Nguyen and co-editor Yao also recently discussed graduate student mental health, wellbeing, and support on the Student Affairs Podcast Now.

Four new crime novels for a ‘reliable nightmare or two’

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The Island

By Adrian McKinty

Petit Brun, 384 pages, $38

For years the talented Belfast detective novelist Adrian McKinty has written some terrific police procedurals which, despite their high quality, have not achieved regular success. Then in 2019, he changed gears and, with “The Chain”, he made a conventional but brilliantly crafted commercial thriller. It was a smash hit, selling in 30 languages ​​and, as he says in the “Acknowledgements” of his new book, saved him from a career as an Uber driver. Now, no model, he wrote a second thriller of the same genre as “The Chain”. This one tells the sweaty adventure story of an American family of four who, as tourists to Australia, fall victim to Australia’s equivalent of the ruthless hillbillies. The action is frenetic and relentless, barely the literary equivalent of McKinty’s early books, but entirely satisfying if you’re looking for a reliable nightmare or two.

Breathtaking

By Linwood Barclay

William Morrow, 368 pages, $34.99

Everyone in the Connecticut town, including the chief cop on the case, Detective Marissa Hardy, thinks Andrew ran over his wife Brie. It’s not that Hardy, an officer with tunnel vision, found a body. But Brie has been missing for six years now, and her family is pushing so hard for a murder charge against Andrew that the city pretty much agrees on him as the culprit – despite the lack of evidence against him. Andrew, an entrepreneur by trade, gets along as best he can and even moves in with a new girlfriend. Then, a few new developments in perhaps Linwood Barclay’s most complex and unsettling work to date tip the case toward resolution. Naturally, this is nothing that readers could have foreseen.

The rule of murder

By Dervla McTiernan

William Morrow, 304 pages, $34.99

The Rule of Murder, by Dervla McTiernan, William Morrow, 304 pages, $34.99

Readers know from the start that Hannah, the law student, is working on a secret program. She worked her way to an elite team of lawyers in Virginia on the Innocence Project, a group whose goal is to get out of prison a man who was convicted eleven years earlier for a murder than him and the project insist that he did not commit. It soon becomes apparent that Hannah has ties to the murder that take her beyond legal ties. All of this is handled with maximum impact by Dervla McTiernan with the minor reservation that her Australian background and sensibility sometimes pushes her into steps that don’t quite ring true in an American setting.

cold canadian crime

Edited by Taija Morgan

Crime Writers of Canada, 330 pages, $18.99

Cold Canadian Crime, ed. Taija Morgan, Crime Writers of Canada, 330 pages, $18.99

There’s no mistaking this annual collection of 21 crime stories written by members of Crime Writers of Canada. Nor is it at all surprising that of the 21 stories, all but three are written by women, who have dominated the Canadian detective genre in recent years. Consistent throughout, whether the writers are short-form veterans or newcomers, it’s a consistently smart and assured approach to the plot. Whenever a character seems to have misplaced a clue or dropped a freebie line, the offending writer regroups. The book is full of these intelligent reworkings, proof that in this collection, the authors insistently remain one step ahead of us readers.

J.B.

Jack Batten is a Toronto-based writer and freelance contributor to the Star

POETS IN CONVERSATION: Yanyi and Victoria Chang

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The description

Join us for a reading and a conversation between two exceptional poets: Yanyi and Victoria Chang. We will also be celebrating their highly anticipated respective new releases. Dream of the divided field and The trees bear witness to everything!

Informed by Yanyi’s experiences of immigration, violent grief and body transition, Dream of the divided field explores the contradictions that accompany passages from one state of being to another. In tender and ethereal poems, the book examines a body that breaks down and a body that rebuilds itself in unlimited and offbeat ways. His latest collection of poetry, The year of blue waterwon the 2018 Yale Series of Younger Poets Award. His work has been featured in or at NPR All things ConsideredNew York Public Library, tin house, Grantaand A public space, and is a recipient of fellowships from the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and the Poets House. Currently, he is the poetry editor at Foundry and provides creative advice to The Reading.

In Victoria Chang’s new book of poetry, The trees bear witness to everything Chang invigorates language through focus, using restraint to illuminate and release the wild within. Composed largely in various Japanese syllabic forms called “wakas”, each poem is shaped by a pattern and a number. His latest book of poetry obituary was named a New York Times Noteworthy Book, a Must read book, and received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in Poetry and the PEN/Voelcker Award. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and lives in Los Angeles and is a core faculty member of Antioch’s low-residency MFA program.

This program is part of our AAPI Heritage Month programming and is supported by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.

Registration is mandatory.

Register for this event

St. Louis booksellers share summer reads for kids and adults

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Summer is approaching and for many it can mean extra motivation or free time to immerse yourself in a novel. But where to start ? Local booksellers joined on Wednesday Saint Louis live to share their best reads of the summer.

Saint-Louis booksellers share their best summer reads

Ymani Wince opens The black library off Cherokee St. Louis this weekend. She said her bookstore will be the region’s first concept store and will focus on the Black experience. She plans to organize books for each educational concept she explores, starting with “Who are the Black Panthers?”

Here is Ymani Wince’s list:

  • “ASATAby Assata Shakur, a former member of the Black Panthers who fled to Cuba and was granted political asylum after escaping from US police custody during her 1979 murder trial.
  • “The marathon doesn’t stopby Rob Kenner, a biography of rapper Nipsey Hussle.
  • “Power hungry” by Suzanne Cope recounts how the women of the Black Panther Party fed more than 20,000 children and how the FBI fought to stop it.
  • “The Compton Cowboys” by Walter Thomas-Hernandez portrays black cowboys on a horse ranch in the middle of Los Angeles and how they work to save their ranch and their heritage.
  • “The black bookis what Ymani Wince calls an essential coffee table read “to understand over 400 years of black experience in America.” With a foreword and preface by acclaimed author Toni Morison, the book features hundreds of historic images of black life in American history, proclamations of Frederick Douglass, transcripts of fugitive slave trials to “Black Hollywood” movie posters.
  • “beautifully me” by Nabela Noor is a children’s book that teaches children about body image.

Mark Pannebecker owns Bookstore and Café Spine at Benton Park in St. Louis, which only sells independent authors. He said he had no rules on censorship and wanted to give new writers a fair chance. Her following book recommendations come from authors based in Missouri and Illinois.

Pictured (L to R): Ymani Wince of Noir Bookstore, Mark Pannebecker of Spine Bookstore and Cafe, Joice Carrawell of Little Readers

Here is Mark Pannebecker’s listing:

  • “St. Michael Poker & Drinking Club” by Ned Randle, is a fiction novel about a social club for a group of clergymen. The book delves into their friendships, their doubts in God, and how they find renewal.
  • “PAWS” by Debbie Manber Kupfer, is a young adult fantasy novel about how a Jewish teenager uses her grandmother’s magical charm to ward off an evil werewolf.
  • “The Big Cinch” by Kathy L. Brown is a mystery set in St. Louis following a young veteran of the 1922 Irish Civil War.
  • “Colorful Realities” by Levi A. Lancaster, is an art therapy guide for caregivers facing burnout and people dealing with trauma.
  • “Farm Boy, City Girl” by John “Gene” Dawson, an award-winning memoir about the life of Dawson who grew up gay in Iowa during the Depression and later moved to St. Louis, finding her drag identity as “Miss Gina.”
  • “A Beekeeper’s Diary” by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is a reference work for anyone wishing to start beekeeping.

Joice Carrawell, co-owner of a children’s bookstore little readers in Southampton in St. Louis, focuses on representing diverse perspectives in its selection. She and her husband, Monsieur, plan to open a youth center in August to accompany the bookstore.

This is Joice Carrawell listing:

  • “Why?” By Taye Diggs is for ages 3-6. It’s a picture book about race, injustice and anger in communities of color and helps families talk about racism with children.
  • “Sunflower Sisters” by Monika Singh is aimed at 4 to 8 year olds. It’s about colorism and helps young people adopt the color of their skin.
  • “The Color Collector” by Nicholas Solis is for ages 7-8. The book starts out in black and white and slowly adds more color to each page.
  • Desmond Ghost Patrol by Andres Miedoso is aimed at 5 to 9 year olds. This adventurous series challenges readers to join Desmond and his friends to solve a mystery in each book. Joice Carrawell called it “RL Stine meets Nancy Drew”.
  • “Miss Quines” by Kat Fajardo is aimed at ages 8 to 12 and is available in Spanish and English. It’s a graphic novel centered on a girl who doesn’t want to celebrate her quinceanera.
  • “Room to Dream” by Kelly Yang is for ages 8 to 12 and is the third book in the “Reception” series. In this book, Mia and her family go on vacation to China, and she discovers a different culture.

“Saint Louis live” tells you the stories of Saint-Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenské and produced by Emily Woodbury, Kayla Drake, Danny Wicentowski and Alex Heuer. Avery Rogers is our production assistant. The sound engineer is Aaron Dorr.

The Bookseller – News – Chester wins Richard Jefferies Prize for nature writing with On Gallows Down

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Nicola Chester won the Richard Jefferies Prize for best nature writing published in 2021 with her book On the gallows (Chelsea Green).

On the gallows is rooted in the author’s background and his formative years in the Newbury area – a period that included Greenham Common Peace Camp and the Newbury Bypass protests – followed by his own family life in cottages on the estates by Highclere and Inkpen. The book is described as “a seamless blend of memoir and natural and social history, evoking a vivid sense of the impact and influence that particular places and landscapes had on the writer”.

Professor Barry Sloan, President of the Richard Jefferies Society and Jury, said: “On the gallows is not only an eloquent celebration of nature and landscape and their indispensable value for human mental and emotional health and well-being; it is also unsentimental and alert to the dangers to wildlife and the open countryside, and shows the author’s own experiences of resistance to suggestions for more environmentally friendly land management. It will appeal to a wide audience both as a personal account and for its thoughtful reflections on the challenges facing the natural world.

The book was chosen from a shortlist of Birdsong in a time of silence by Steven Lovatt (Penguin Particular Books), The summer of wood pigeons: a new forest season like no other by James Aldred (Elliott & Thompson), rivers of ice by Jemma Wadham (Allen Lane), Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape by Cal Flyn (William Collins) and The sea is not made of water: life between the tides by Adam Nicolson (Collins)

Chester commented: “This award means the absolute world to me. Richard Jefferies has long been a companion of mine: from the books my grandfather lent me as a child, to walking in a close, worked, populated and atmospheric wild landscape, a few hills from his, populated by horses of white chalk. “Belonging” should not be about where we come from, but how we engage with a place and how its story becomes part of ours (and our story, its). I like to think that Jefferies would recognize that this is more important now than ever. The urgency to stem the loss of our wildlife is growing at a rate similar to that with which we realize the depth, power and joy of connecting with it – the need for it.

The judges were drawn from the Richard Jefferies Society, which administers the award, and its sponsors, the White Horse Bookshop in Marlborough.

Innoviz strengthens its commercial leadership with the appointment of a new management team

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Innoviz has appointed Tali Chen as Chief Business Officer (CBO), effective immediately. Chen will oversee the company’s business development activities, establish sales targets and KPIs, and implement, report on and review strategic sales and marketing plans. Chen replaces Oren Rosenzweig, who is stepping down as CBO and board of directors, effective immediately, to pursue new opportunities. Rosenzweig will continue to play an active advisory role until summer 2022 to ensure a smooth transition.

Chen most recently served as CBO for DSP Group, a global leader in wireless communications for smart devices. In this role, she managed global sales, marketing, investor relations and business growth operations. Chen has also led strategic relationships and partnerships with Fortune 100 & 500 companies and led complex multi-million dollar sales cycles encompassing preliminary discussions, contract negotiations, deal closing and development. of a partnership roadmap. Prior to his tenure at DSP Group, Chen held corporate development positions for RADA Electronics, a global company that develops, manufactures and markets advanced military systems.

The Company also announced that it had appointed Scott Craig and Brijesh Shukla as National Directors of the United States and Japan, respectively. Craig brings decades of experience in the semiconductor and automotive industries, previously serving as executive director of automotive strategy and OEM business development at onsemi, where he was responsible for OEM business development at Ford Motor. Company worldwide, Stellantis and Argo – worldwide. Craig will be responsible for sales and business development of Innoviz LiDAR products and associated software across all industry verticals in North America. Shukla, who has twenty years of experience in customer-facing roles for companies including Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Mitsubishi, will represent and manage Innoviz’s growing business in Japan.

CEO and co-founder of Innoviz Omer Keilaf said: “We are delighted with our new appointments as we continue to grow our automotive business and begin to enter the non-automotive industry in parallel. Tali brings a wealth of expertise essential to our growth strategy, including an impressive track record. pipeline and revenue creation through expanding market share. She will be a major asset to our business as we seek to monetize our best products and drive sales. Likewise, the appointment of Scott and Brijesh is the next logical step to capitalize on our growth opportunities following the growth of Innoviz multi-year, multi-billion dollar appointment with a global automaker. company as we aim to innovate.

Chen commented, “I am delighted to join Innoviz. The company is, in my opinion, an important player in the field of LiDAR, and its recent landmark appointment is another testament to its leadership. With Innoviz’s advanced technology and breadth of partnerships, the Company has many potential avenues to generate revenue. I look forward to building on this foundation and reaching even greater heights.

Keilaf continued, “We are grateful for Oren’s major contribution in co-founding Innoviz and helping lead it to where it is today. Oren has played an important role in the commercial success of Innoviz and in shaping our position in the market. I wish Oren continued success in his future endeavours. »

Oren Rosenzweig commented, “Co-founding Innoviz over six years ago and leading business development, sales and product activities since then has been among the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this journey. We have grown Innoviz from an idea into one of the key players in the emerging self-driving industry. At this point in the life of the company and mine, it’s a good time to hand over responsibilities to a group of extremely talented people. . I will be supporting Tali and the management team to ensure a successful transition and wish the incredible team at Innoviz continued success.”

About Tali Chen
Tali Chen previously held the position of Chief Business Officer at PSD Group. Prior to this role, she served as Director of Marketing, where she managed the IoT line of business, business development in Europe, sales and marketing, operations in the United States and corporate management, and prior to that, served as PVC of business development. before joining PSD Group, Tali was director of business development at RADA Electronic Industries, a major in the Israel Defense Forces and the founding director of the “Atidim for Industry”. Tali holds a LLB in law and government with honors from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) of Herzlia and an MBA from Technion Israel Institute of Technology.

On Scott Craig
Scott Craig previously served as Executive Director of Automotive Strategy and OEM Business Development at onsemi, where he was responsible for the company’s automotive strategy and OEM business development. During his tenure, he led the regional and global teams, contributing to double-digit growth in the Americas. before joining onsemihe held the position of Global Account Executive at Infineon, where he was responsible for the business development of Ford Motor Company worldwide, leading the promotion of innovation and collaboration between the two organizations. Craig holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Kalamazoo Collegea bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Wayne State Universityand is working on a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Seminary.

On Brijesh Shukla
Brijesh Shukla previously held the position of Project & Program Manager at Valeo Automotive (comfort and driving assistance system). He has a background in engineering and business, with most of his career involved in the techno-commercial side, working with Japanese automotive OEM accounts. For the past two decades, he has been actively involved in the technology industry. He has extensive knowledge of various ADAS products including LiDAR. before joining Valeo Japanhe worked in mainland Japan, and in Denso Japan. Brijesh holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics, a master’s degree in computer application and an MBA in operations management.

About Innoviz Technologies
Innoviz is a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world’s roads. Innoviz’s LiDAR and perception software “sees” better than a human driver and reduces the risk of error, meeting the automotive industry’s highest expectations for performance and safety. Operating across the United States, Europeand Asia, Innoviz has been selected by internationally recognized premium car brands for use in consumer vehicles as well as other commercial and industrial leaders for a wide range of use cases. For more information, visit innoviz-tech.com.
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Media Contact
[email protected]

Contact Investor
Maya Lustig
Innoviz Technologies
+972 54 677 8100
[email protected]

Forward-looking statements
This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the services offered by Innoviz, the anticipated technology capability of Innoviz’s products, the markets in which Innoviz operates, the forward-looking backlog of ‘Innoviz and projected future outcomes. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “believe”, “project”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “strategy”, “future”, “opportunity “, “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will,” “continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements regarding future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, therefore, are subject to risks and uncertainties. “Forward-looking backlog” represents the expected cumulative future sales of hardware and perception based on current estimates of project-related volumes and prices. Many factors could cause actual future events and, in the case of our prospective order backlog, actual orders, to differ materially from forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, including, but not limited to, the ability to implement business plans, forecasts and other expectations, the ability to convert won designs into final orders and the magnitude of such orders, the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and potential changes and developments in the highly competitive LiDAR technology and related industries. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in Innoviz’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 30, 2022 and other documents filed by Innoviz from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Innoviz undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Innoviz does not guarantee that it will meet its expectations.

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SOURCEInnoviz Technologies

Book: ‘Two Nights in Lisbon: A Novel’ by Chris Pavone – Editor’s Note

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Posted May 24, 2022.

Coiled taut and expertly crafted, Two nights in Lisbon is a gripping thriller about a woman under pressure, and how far she will go when it all hangs in the balance. Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband left, no warning, no note, no answer on the phone. Something is wrong. She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the US Embassy, ​​to each of the questions she can’t fully answer: what exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he take her on his business trip? Who would want to hurt him? And why does Ariel know so little about her new, much younger husband? The clock is turning. Ariel is growing increasingly frustrated and desperate, running out of time, and the only person in the world who can help her is the one she least wants to ask. With sparkling prose and razor-sharp ideas, bestselling author Chris Pavone delivers a stunning and sophisticated international thriller that will linger long after the surprising final page.

“There’s no book you can’t put down, but this one was close.”
-Stephen King

“I loved Chris Pavone Two nights in Lisbon, an unmissable thriller that is his best novel to date. It stars a strong and savvy heroine who wakes up one morning to find her husband missing, and the action never stops. It is a masterful, elegant and sophisticated novel about love, marriage and truth. Read it!”
―Lisa Scottoline author of Eternal

“I challenge anyone to read the first twenty pages of this daredevil novel and then try to put it down for five minutes. It cannot be done. The plot is too snarky, the pacing is too gripping, and the characters are rarely what they’re meant to be. This is clever suspense at its finest.
―John Grisham author of A time for mercy

“I always savor Chris Pavone’s books, and this one is still perhaps my favorite, full of insightful insights and insights that set his work apart. The plot is gripping, the characters breathe, the magnificent setting seduces. Treat yourself!”
―Maggie Shipstead author of great circle

“Two nights in Lisbon is sensationally good―timely, important, layered with thrilling suspense, driven by an eerie drumbeat that races like a panicked heart. My thriller of the year so far.
―Lee Child, author of The Sentinel

“Chris Pavone’s fast-paced, well-plotted thrillers are captivating and a lot of fun to read, and Two nights in Lisbon is his best yet. This one is not to be missed.”
―Karine Slaughter author of The silent woman

“Weaving together hairpin Hitchcockian suspense and genuine moral weight, Chris Pavone Two nights in Lisbon is his best yet – utterly timely and brimming with surprise, nuance, cunning and palpable weight.
―Megan Abbott, author of The participation

“Two nights in Lisbon is such a rich and satisfying novel in so many ways: it’s a tense, complex thriller; a nuanced and moving character study; insightful social criticism; an immersive tour of a fascinating city and culture. I finished this book and immediately wanted to read it again.
―Lou Berney author of November road

“A world-class, elegantly twisted, lyrical and fast-paced international thriller. With quality prose, layered characters, gripping ideas and gripping suspense, Chris Pavone writes with a deep knowledge of the world we live in, its many injustices, its flaws and the winding and dangerous road we sometimes have to take to seek justice.
―Lisa Unger author of Last ghost girl

“Besides the elegant writing and compelling characters, Two nights in Lisbon manages to be a total barn burner, with twisty surprises from start to finish. I couldn’t predict anything, nor could I write it down.
―Lisa Lutz author of The swallows

“Chris Pavone’s elegant and sophisticated thrillers are in a class of their own. In Two nights in Lisbon, it once again marries explosive plot with an intimate and nuanced exploration of a marriage and the secrets we keep from those we love most. I was thrilled from the book’s propelling start to its deeply satisfying conclusion. An exceptional and fascinating read.
―Cristina Algiers, author of girls like us

About the Author

Chris Pavon is the author of four international thrillers: Expats (2012), The accident (2014), The travellers (2016), and The Parisian diversion (2019). Chris’s novels have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and IndependentNext; won the Edgar and Anthony Awards and were shortlisted for the Strand, Macavity and Los Angeles Times Book Prize; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into two dozen languages.

He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book and Magazine Reviewthe Telegraphand Salon; appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered and the BBC; and was featured on the arts front page of the New York Times. He is a member of PEN, the Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, for which he served as an Edgars Judge.

Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter and Artisan/ Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to managing editor and associate editor; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book on wine and wrote a few non-fiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twins and started writing. Expats. They live again in New York and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.

Book Details

Title: Two nights in Lisbon

Author: Chris Pavon

Editor: ‎ MCD

Publication date: May 24, 2022

Language: ‎English

Hardcover: 448pp

Model Students Win KET Writer’s Competition |

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

According to a Facebook post from Model Laboratory School, several elementary school students have been recognized as winners and finalists of the 2022 KET – Kentucky Educational Television Young Writers competition. Students faced stiff competition this year with over 1,200 applications from across the Commonwealth.

Winners and finalists included:

• Brayden Spillman (Year 1), 3rd Place, “The World’s Greatest Secret Mission – A True Story of WWII” – Graphic Novel

• Anishka Sherigar (Grade 1), 3rd Place, “What Can You See” – Illustrated Story

• Dawson Abney (Grade 2), 3rd Place, “The Diary of a Glamorous Dog” – Short Story

• Sara Sokolowski (2nd year), finalist, “ONE, TWO, THREE, unicorns can be” – Poetry

• Annistyn Flynn (Grade 3), Finalist, “Poppy with No Friends” – Illustrated Story

• Abby Toutant (4th year), finalist, “The Fashion Show” – Illustrated History

• Avnita Sherigar (5th year), finalist, “Magic Magnolia” – graphic novel

EKU joins efforts to close teaching qualification gap with free program for educators

Kentucky high school teachers have the opportunity to earn 35 hours of professional development this summer through the Kentucky Master Teacher of Personal Finance (KMTPF) program at no cost.

When Bill 132 was passed in 2018 requiring high school students to take a financial literacy course before graduation, many university faculty and staff across the state sprang into action. to make resources available to these high school teachers.

Created through a collaborative initiative between the Coalition for Financial Literacy in the Commonwealth (CFLC) and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the CFLC includes representatives from Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and the University of Kentucky.

“Financial literacy is a critical component of a student’s success both in college and after graduation,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “Through this collaboration, we can support this effort to ensure that all Kentucky students become financially literate and prepared to positively impact the economic growth of their communities. Thanks to our very own Dr. Cynthia Harter for having seen this problem on the horizon and to work to allow EKU to be part of the solution.”

The first class for which it is a graduation requirement completes its second year of high school, putting the term into effect for the next two years. Because the mandate is unfunded, teachers and schools are looking for training and materials that meet Kentucky standards and are available at low cost or free of charge.

“The findings are important to the Appalachian business community because they underscore the need for more resources devoted to preparing teachers to teach financial concepts in order to spur economic development in the region,” said Harter, director of the Center. economic education from EKU. “Through the multiplier effect of teacher education, those who invest more resources in financial literacy efforts and entrepreneurship education in schools can promote economic development for generations to come.”

The KMTPF program is aligned with the Kentucky Financial Literacy Standards and uses research-based strategies, high-caliber resources, and strategic partnerships to engage educators with a variety of lessons and high-quality materials that can be delivered directly in class.

“The program has been designed through the collaboration of experienced experts in the field so that we can prepare teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to meet the graduation requirement in this important content area,” Harter said. “The financial literacy standards combined with this program provide a framework through which our students can learn to make more informed choices in life.

The professors and economic education specialists who will deliver the program have decades of experience training K-12 teachers in economic education and personal finance, Harter said. Investing these resources and expertise in teachers across the region will only benefit students and stimulate economic growth in the region.

Teachers who complete the program will earn 35 hours of professional development, earn the title “Kentucky Master Teacher of Personal Finance”, be recognized at a virtual closing ceremony, and be listed on the EKU Center for KMTPF program website. Economic Education. Teachers will be able to list this marketable attribute on a resume, participate in presentation skills building opportunities, and become a participant in a professional learning network and community of master teachers. To be considered for the program, a teacher must hold a current Kentucky teaching license

To visit https://events.stlouisfed.org/event/4d21a1fd-00ac-42bc-9d4e-dc206c4e4f5b/regProcessStep1 to register for the 2022 program. The deadline to register is June 6.

For more information about the Coalition for Financial Literacy in the Commonwealth, contact one of the partners: [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] For more information about the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, contact [email protected]

Review: “Phil”, by Alan Shipnuck

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

“Phil” is not a drive-by character assassination. Shipnuck generally admires Mickelson and takes note of his philanthropy, sunny disposition, deadpan spirit, numerous random acts of kindness, and the fact that he is not a bad loser.

Shipnuck digs deeper into Mickelson’s game than anyone so far. His addiction led him to get close to questionable characters. He bets so much on football, Mickelson told a friend, that his bets “could move the line”. His gambling losses totaled more than $40 million from 2010 to 2014, according to documents reviewed by one of Shipnuck’s sources. The author therefore wonders if Mickelson needed this Saudi money.

Credit…Abigail Shipnuck

Mickelson was born in San Diego in 1970. His father was an airline pilot and a golf enthusiast. The family had a large garden with a putting green and room for 40m pitches. Mickelson trained late into the night. “There was no swing analysis, no computer spitting out spin rates,” Shipnuck writes, “just a very curious boy digging the secrets of the game in the dirt.”

By the time he was in high school, Mickelson was a networker and schmoozer, Shipmuck writes, albeit a bit of a nerd. He didn’t drink; he wore garish sansabelt trousers and polo shirts with their popped collars and elaborate belt buckles and visors.

He attended Arizona State University, where his team won the national title. His tee shots stayed in the air forever, people said, as if they were Frisbees. Mickelson was a psychology student and he loves mental games.

It only seems scary once, when he talks about courting the woman who would become his wife, Amy Mickelson. He took her to see a movie full of suspense, he says, and at a critical moment he rubbed her hand so that “she displaces her fear as excitement or attraction to me. And that’s how I was able, when I didn’t have so many resources to work with, to get such a gem.

Alice Zeniter and Frank Wynne win Dublin International Literary Prize

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

“I got an email from my publisher. I had just woke up, I was really confused. I thought they sent it to the wrong person! French novelist Alice Zeniter talks to me after learning that his novel The Art of Losing has just won the Dublin International Literary Prize, the world’s richest prize for a novel published in English.The prize, sponsored by Dublin City Council, was presented on Monday to Zeniter and his translator, Frank Wynne, at an event during the Dublin International Literary Festival.

The beauty of the prize is that it’s open to books originally written in any language, and if a translated book wins, the translator receives 25% of the prize money. Fittingly, Frank Wynne – who was born in Sligo – also joins our conversation, zooming in from what he calls a “shed” in Dublin, cigarette in hand for much of our conversation. Zeniter speaks excellent English but sometimes, when an idiomatic term escapes her, she passes the word to Wynne, who quickly delivers the English, and the conversation continues uninterrupted.

“It’s amazing how the book has its own life” in another language, continues Zeniter. “Because when I finished it and gave it to my publishers, they said it probably wouldn’t get translated and if it did, it wouldn’t sell at home. foreign, because it was such a French subject. I was talking about the ruins of our colonial empire and who would be interested in it abroad?

With hindsight, of course, it’s easy to say that The Art of Losing was a much better prospect for publication and reward than Zeniter’s editor thought. I featured it as a potential winner in my roundup of this newspaper’s shortlist, and its themes of immigration and colonialism are not only persistent, but current and urgent.

The Art of Losing is a multigenerational story featuring the French Algerian diaspora, a consequence of its historic colonial presence in the country. The center of the modern part of the book is Naïma, a typical French girl who seeks to know the history of her family, who came from Algeria to France. In total, we get three generations of stories, from Naïma and her father Hamid, and her father Ali.

The book was born out of Zeniter, who has an Algerian father, a desire to write an immigration story that offered more than a “one-person perspective”, that not only told the story of the arrival but also of departure, and the “strength, intelligence, adaptation” required of immigrants. Her novel, she decided, would “make the country of departure exist very strongly” and the reader “travel with the characters”.

Of course, I say to Wynne, as an Irishman you will have your own thoughts about colonialism, emigration and immigration. Did this influence his reading – and his translation – of The Art of Losing?

“A lot,” says Wynne. “My father was born in 1901, so he lived through the 1916 uprising and the civil war, and ‘the emergency’ as we called it, from 1939 to 1945. [So] the experiences of living in a colony and witnessing the emergence of an independence movement and civil war were founding elements of his young life.

“So the parallels were very clear to me,” he continues. “And I think what Alice did here, encompassing the previous period starting with the occupation [of Algeria by France], gives a much fuller impression, especially for readers who come to it without knowing much. The Algerian war of independence has been called the silent war. It was agreed that no one would talk about it. After a brutal, quote-unquote “special operation” that involved torturing civilians etc., finally the Vichy accord was signed, a huge blanket was thrown over everything, you know, “let’s never talk about how how we behaved’.”

Frank Wynne: “Historically, translation was considered a hobby. But you can't just pour in a bunch of words and get a bunch of words out. It is an imaginative act in which the novel must be entirely rewritten in another language. Photography: Nick Bradshaw

Frank Wynne: “Historically, translation was considered a hobby. But you can’t just pour in a bunch of words and get a bunch of words out. It is an imaginative act in which the novel must be entirely rewritten in another language. Photography: Nick Bradshaw

Where, I ask Zeniter, does this whole story connect to the present day – when we saw far-right politician Marine le Pen, run on an anti-immigration platform, make it to the last round of the presidential race in France a few weeks ago? (His father, Jean-Marie le Pen, was accused of using torture when he served in the French army in Algeria in 1957.)

“I think there’s a continuation of the same patterns,” she says. “Basically, white French people who have lived with all the privileges they could have, do not want to see that another part of the population does not have the same rights. They want to assume that the situation is OK for everyone. It is therefore not surprising that today the French police mainly target blacks, Arabs, mainly young men, but that is because the history of this organization is that of a racist empire.

I’m aware that by discussing these serious issues the book tackles we can make it heavy, but it’s a lively, action-packed book, and often playful in the way the narrative is delivered. Was it a deliberate choice on Zeniter’s part?

“Yes. It’s easy for adversaries to just say, you’re complaining or you’re just angry. And it’s worse when you’re a woman, whether you’re Arab or black, because of the [stereotype] of the “angry black woman”. So I really didn’t want to have something that was just a cry of anger or pain. I wanted to have full lives. I wanted it to be playful because I don’t want to write a story that just draws compassion for my characters – I want people to be able to be my characters, which is something very rare in our literature, you know, that you can put yourself [in the place of] a character who is Algerian.

And what about, I wonder, the translation process itself. Is there a lot of collaboration? “What I usually do,” Wynne says, “is have a finished first draft before I start asking the author questions. In this, as in any novel with a historical element, that means making research and so on. I can’t believe, he adds, that I was translating books before the Internet! That meant going to libraries to check everything. When I come back to an author, he continues, It’s generally to deal with an ambiguity in the text, or sometimes it’s more general, on the voice, on the atmosphere.

“Most of the time,” Zeniter said, “I remember agreeing with you.”

“Which was very helpful to me,” says Wynne, “because my American editor didn’t always agree with me. So I could go up to her and say, ‘But you see, Alice, she agrees with me!’ »

As well as attending the awards ceremony on Monday, Wynne returns to London (“difficult week”) to preside over the final meeting of the International Booker Prize. “Then I put on a monkey costume on Thursday and tell the world what we’ve decided.” Like the Dublin Literary Award, the International Booker rewards both author and translator, although its £50,000 prize is split equally between author and translator. We have also seen a movement in the UK and Ireland to have translators named on book covers. Wynne “fallen into my fifth career as a translator when I was 40”; it was after his translation of Atomised by Michel Houellebecq won the Dublin Literary Award 20 years ago that he was able to do it full time. Does he think we are seeing more recognition of translation as an imaginative act rather than an imitative one?

“I do. I mean, historically, translation was considered a hobby. But you can’t just pour in a bunch of words and get a bunch of words out. It’s an act of imagination in which the novel has to be completely rewritten in another language. People still sometimes say to me, “They don’t have software to do that? But machine translation doesn’t understand irony, empathy or humor. He can’t tell a joke.

He continues: “I heard that very recently, people will say, ‘Oh, one author could have written the book, but many translators could have translated it.’ Is it true? Only Bach wrote the Goldberg Variations, but interpretations by Rosalind Tureck or Glenn Gould or Keith Jarrett are all fundamentally different, and I like knowing which one I buy.

And, as we close our conversation, he notes that even among people who should know better, a lack of recognition can still linger. “About 12 years ago, at the Frankfurt Book Fair,” Wynne recounts, “German translators at the time were campaigning for better rates and more recognition. And the editor of probably Germany’s most famous publishing house, told the translator of a Nobel Prize-winning Italian author, “Wynne smiles, “But I can find a translator anywhere. This city is full of pizzerias! »

Alpena Library seeks to fill gaps in local women’s history | News, Sports, Jobs

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Alpena County Library Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre addresses a crowd of about 40 Thursday night during his presentation, Women Who Shaped Alpena.


ALPENA — The local history of the town and surrounding areas centers on men, as their traditional role more than a century ago was to build businesses and work outside the home, while the most women took care of domestic and social tasks.

The library is looking for more information about the women who have played a vital role in Alpena’s history.

On Thursday, Alpena County Library Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre introduced Women Who Shaped Alpena to an audience of about 40 people, mostly women.

La Barre explained that there were some pieces missing from the presentation, as the women of Alpena’s early days were often referred to as “Mrs”. followed by their husband’s name. Thus, in some cases, the first names of the women are still unknown.

He said that when he started this job on January 6, 2020, succeeding Marlo Broad, the library really didn’t have a lot of information about the women of Alpena and Alpena County, which made him surprised when he stepped into his current role.

Since then, La Barre has sought more information about the women who shaped Alpena’s history.

“The bias inherent in archives is something that all archives, especially in the United States, face,” La Barre said.

At conferences, he and other librarians have asked the question, “Where are the gaps in our archives?”

On Thursday he said: ‘And, for us, it’s definitely stories of women in our community since the days of the pioneers.’

During the program, he shared much of what he has learned so far.

In the 19th century, a two-spheres concept noted that women were more likely to remain in the private sector, centered on family morality, philanthropy, and social status, while men spent more time in the public sector, focusing on the economy, politics, financial situation and competition. This information was provided by Dr. Graham Warder, Keene State College.

In her presentation, La Barre began with Sarah Carter, the first white pioneer, the first physician to Alpena loggers and their families, and the woman who welcomed new families to Alpena. The Carter House was built in 1860, near where the Harborside Center sign now stands, at the corner of State Avenue and Chisholm Street.

La Barre then spoke of the Ladies’ Metropolitan Library, which was organized around 1864, with Diana (CW) Richardson as treasurer and librarian, Lucy (HR) Morse as secretary, Susan (La Barre not sure if this is her real first name) (SA) Mather as president, and a fourth unknown. These women began the foundations of a public library around 1868. Meetings were held on Saturdays at the Richardson House on State Avenue.

The next highly respected and active woman La Barre highlighted in her presentation was Lizzie Nason, who became a city librarian in 1875 and also ran a bookstore in the Centennial Block in downtown Alpena.

Another very important woman in Alpena’s history was Harriet Comstock, who was a strong advocate for women’s rights.

In 1937, in a letter to the Michigan Works Progress Administration, Comstock wrote, “There has never been a time in the world when women and what they have to bring were so needed. But above all, they must be willing to work and study and find out what is happening in the world around them and how it affects the city and state in which they live. They need strong leadership and a spirit of selfless service. They should think of their organization as something other than social gatherings and entertainment venues.

His sister Marie Comstock was also very active in the community, La Barre said.

Ella M. White, after whom the elementary school is named, and Anna Besser, after whom another elementary school is named, were both highly regarded women in the community.

The Women’s Civic League, organized in 1913, sought to uplift low-status families, women, orphans, and find cures for disease. The group has established a visiting nurse program. They disbanded in 1991, due to low membership.

Wilma Johnson Henry, wife of Carl R. Henry, was chosen as an honorary citizen of the city and received the Book of Golden Deeds award from the Alpena Exchange Club. White also received the same award another year. The city’s “most helpful and selfless” residents were nominated for the award, which is still awarded today.

The women of Alpena Garment Co. were also highlighted during the La Barre presentation.

Other women who played a vital role in Alpena’s early days include Mabel VanNocker, first female commercial photographer, Dr. Ida Ohman Potter, first female optometrist, Millie Alpern, Alpena probate court clerk and Mary Veenfliet , owner of Alpena Business College. The library hopes to learn more about these aforementioned revolutionary women, or anyone else who played a notable role in Alpena’s history.

If anyone has information, photos or historical documents to share that could help expand the library’s women’s history collection, please contact La Barre at [email protected]

A program is scheduled for June 4, titled Ladies Beyond the Gates, at Alpena’s Evergreen Cemetery. The program will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. From a prominent Michigan suffragist to those who shaped Alpena forever, Marcia Simmons and Don La Barre will guide attendees through a tour of the cemetery’s most notable women. Evergreen.

Visit alpenalibrary.org or call 989-356-6188.



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Williams named editor of The Monthly

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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May 23, 2022 @booksandpublishing

Schwartz Media has announced the appointment of Michael Williams as Editor-in-Chief of The monthly.

Appointed interim artistic director of the Sydney Writers’ Festival at the end of 2020, Williams presented the festival’s 2021 and 2022 programmes, announcing he would step down earlier this year. Previously, he spent more than a decade at Wheeler Center as the organization’s founding director of programming in 2009, then as director beginning in September 2011. Williams has also contributed to newspaper writing and has worked in radio, broadcasting and publishing in Australia and New Zealand. York.

“Michael is an incredible force,” said Schwartz Media editor Erik Jensen. “He has tremendous energy and talent and I know he will bring his unique curiosity and writing acumen to the magazine. Her work at the Wheeler Center and the Sydney Writers’ Festival has demonstrated her ability to lead a vibrant cultural institution, which The monthly is.’

Of her new role, Williams said, “Any reader will tell you there’s no greater thrill than discovering a new favorite writer on a subject that matters.” In successive jobs, I’ve been lucky enough to work with a cavalcade of such writers and experience that thrill. I look forward to continuing this work The monthlyworking with our best writers to not only reflect, but to shape the cultural and political moment and define the national conversation.

Williams will work with outgoing editor Nick Feik on the production of the July issue, with the August issue being Williams’ first as editor.

Feik, who is stepping down as editor-in-chief after eight years, said: “I warmly welcome Michael’s appointment, and I know he appreciates the magazine and will nurture its most important assets: its writers and readers.” I am grateful to my Schwartz colleagues for the opportunities they have given me and can now look forward to the new era.

Category: Local News

The next Cobb Public Library Graphic Novel Book Club meeting will be on Monday, May 23.

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Submitted by: Larry Felton Johnson
May 22, 2022

The next meeting of the Graphic Novel Book Club at the Cobb Public Library will be Monday, April 23 at 6 p.m. Before assuming that you are “too old” to participate, keep in mind that I am 70 years old, and a regular participant.

Amanda Sanders, Adult Services Librarian at South Cobb Regional Library, which hosts the virtual event on Google Meet, described this month’s theme as follows:

I hope you are all doing very well. It doesn’t look like it’s been a month since we last met, but this is a reminder that the Graphic Novel Book Club at the South Cobb Regional Library will meet on Monday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m. via Google Meet. Everyone is encouraged to come prepared to talk about a graphic novel of their choice this month. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Click here to register for the program (https://forms.gle/7G5zMx9rtwkj2fQd6)

Click here to join the program (https://meet.google.com/ctm-nkzi-oko?hs=122&authuser=0)

About me and graphic novels

I became a fan of graphic novels quite late in life. In the 1960s, from around the age of 12 to 16, I was a fan of Marvel Comics during what comic book fans call the “Silver Age.” I lost track of comics around 1968 or so, and didn’t realize how far the art form had come until I was around 55 when my son bought me a copy of a volume by Neil Gaiman. The sand man.

I was hooked.

The Cobb County Public Library hosts its Graphic Novel Book Club on the fourth Monday of each month on Google Meet from 6-7 p.m. I have been participating for a few months, where the works presented were the second volume of March by John Lewis, Book club banned by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada, and the popular and long-running series by Stan Sakai Usagi Yojimbo.

Montclair Rent Control Is Proof We Can Make a Difference (Letter to the Editor)

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

I started the Montclair Tenant Organization to fulfill one of my late mother’s last wishes for me. Unbeknownst to many beside my expression, this was the main reason for my involvement in this movement.

After more than 30 years of failure, our group’s efforts have brought rent control to Montclair for the first time in its history. It just proves that it only takes one – one to rise up and attract other people who believe in the cause and are willing, as Toni Martin, our First Vice President would say, “to be a bird.” rare “.

I would like to thank those who first approached me for assistance during the April 11, 2019 Rent Control Forum: Dr. Manuel Brown, Reverend Safiya Oni Brown (also Founders), Mitch Kahn of the New Jersey Tenant Organization, Jacob, Reverend Leslie Houseworth Fields, Jean and Peter, Alain, James, and Pluchet.

Over months of public meetings, we continued to grow until that incredible day in September 2019 in what was once Crazy Mocha. Brenda and Tanisha said they had had enough and were ready, confident and ready to attend board meetings in person. We all rejoiced and carried on. There are so many details and encounters, milestones to mention that this could be a book of chapters.

I would like to thank Mr. William Scott for providing many basic tips and pieces of the puzzle. I would like to thank the clergy of Montclair TOOM members who stayed engaged during our first briefing and took action that moved us forward at what seemed like lightening speed. Of course, the Mayor and Council of Montclair Township held their ground and kept up the pace, so we are grateful to them. I would like to assure the community that the organization of Montclair tenants will continue. We will still offer monthly meetings to join, and I and other leaders will continue to train those who wish to take a more active role. We represent multiple generations and the diversity that is expected of Montclair and will continue to do so. Montclair wins with rent control.

Ahava Felicidad
President, Montclair Tenant Organization

Editor’s note: The author of this letter did not know the surnames of some of the people quoted.

The Opinion section of Montclair Local is an open forum for civil discussion in which we invite readers to discuss city business, articles published in Montclair, or previously published letters. The opinions expressed and published in this section are solely those of the authors and do not represent the opinions of Montclair Local.

Letters to the Editor: To submit a letter to the editor, email [email protected], or email “Letters to the Editor”, PO Box 752, Montclair, NJ, 07042 (e- mail is preferred). Submissions should include the author’s name, address, and phone number for verification. Only the author’s name and city of residence will be published. Montclair Local does not publish anonymous opinion pieces.

Letters should not exceed 500 words and must be received no later than the Sunday prior to publication in order to be used in any Thursday print issue. Letters may be edited by Montclair Local for grammar and style. Although our goal is to publish most of the letters we receive, the Montclair Local reserves the right to refuse publication of any letter for any reason, including, but not limited to, concerns about unproven or defamatory statements, inappropriate language, subject matter outside of Montclair Residents’ vested interests, or available space.

City center: The Montclair Local also accepts longer opinion essays from residents aimed at generating discussion on community-specific topics, under our “Town Square” banner. “Town Square” essays should not exceed 750 words and topics should be submitted to [email protected] at least seven days prior to publication.

First transatlantic flight: how Alcock and Brown beat Lindbergh

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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Both engines sputtered, then roared, belching white smoke from their funnels. Two large propellers began to spin – slowly at first, but gaining speed until they leveled off at over 2,000 rpm.

The chocks on the tires of the Vickers Vimy biplane were removed as several men struggled to prevent the converted bomber from jumping into the air. The pilot, Royal Air Force Captain John Alcock, let the engines run a little longer to gain momentum, then signaled to the ground crew to release the wings.

The men let go and the First World War plane sped forward, rolling and bumping along a sloping farm field as it headed for a 600ft cliff. Overloaded with extra fuel, the plane bounced over the rough ground, approaching the edge of the precipice.

Slowly Vimy began to rise – only a few meters at first, but it was above the ground. RAF navigator Lt. Arthur “Ted” Brown, seated next to Alcock, watched nervously as the pilot struggled against a headwind to keep the rickety biplane in flight.

How Pearl Harbor forced the world’s first commercial round-the-world flight

The watching crowd at Lester’s Field in St. John’s, Newfoundland, began to cheer as the plane slowly climbed, then gasped in horror as it rapidly fell below the cliff. After some anxious moments, Vimy reappeared, rising unhurriedly into the sky. The spectators heaved a collective sigh.

On June 14, 1919, Alcock and Brown began a perilous quest to become the first aviators to fly nonstop across the Atlantic. While Charles Lindbergh is remembered for his solo crossing in a closed metal monoplane on May 21, 1927, this older and much more difficult journey in a wooden and fabric open-cockpit biplane is almost forgotten today. .

In itself, Lindberg’s accomplishment – achieved 95 years ago on Saturday – is a significant achievement. However, Alcock and Brown’s flight eight years earlier was nothing short of miraculous. Advances in aeronautical engineering in the short time between the two flights were considerable.

Wright Brothers vs. Smithsonian: The Bitter Feud Over Who Invented the Airplane

“The difference in technology, engines, instrumentation and navigational ability between 1919 and 1927 is like night and day,” said Robert O. Harder, author of the new book “First Crossing: The 1919 Trans- Atlantic Flight of Alcock and Brown”. “It’s just a few months after the end of the First World War, and these planes were still really, really rickety.”

Non-stop air travel between North America and Europe had been a dream since 1913, when British media mogul Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of 10,000 pounds – almost $600,000 today – to the first to accomplish it. Separately, Alcock and Brown plotted to earn the reward while awaiting the end of World War I in POW camps in Switzerland and Turkey. Both had been shot in action.

Alcock needed an experienced navigator, while Brown was looking for a pilot to take the controls. After the war, they had the chance to meet for the first time at the Vickers manufacturing plant in Surrey, England, just three months before the Vimy took off from Newfoundland. Both immediately realized that they were in agreement on this mission.

“It was quite fortuitous how the two men met,” Harder said. “They were at the factory at the same time and accidentally learned of each other’s plans. Their meeting was truly coincidental, but it was meant to be.

Fierce, feared and feminine: the WWII pilots known as the ‘Night Witches’

Both were at Vickers because they believed the Vimy, a twin-engine heavy bomber in production for World War I but delivered too late for combat, was the plane they needed to make the crossing. With a wingspan of 68 feet, it was one of the largest aircraft of its time. More importantly, it had a long range: around 2,000 miles. The biplane was modified for this flight to add extra fuel tanks so it had more than enough fuel to cover the 1,900 miles from Canada to Britain.

“It was cutting-edge technology at the time,” noted Harder, who flew 145 combat missions on B-52 bombers in Vietnam as a US Air Force navigator. “The plane could fly 100 miles per hour, which was a big deal at the time.”

In 1919, attempting to cross the Atlantic non-stop in an airplane was considered suicidal. Several pilots had attempted to win the prize; all had failed, some attempts ending in death.

A month before takeoff from Alcock and Brown, US Navy and Coast Guard airmen managed to make the trip with a 10-day layover in the Azores for repairs. Of the three NC-4 seaplanes used for the trip, only one survived the ocean crossing. Two crashed in the Atlantic, but the crews were rescued by support ships.

When Alcock and Brown arrived in Newfoundland on May 9 with their disassembled Vimy in boxes, there were already four other teams preparing to cross the Atlantic. One would crash into the sea shortly after takeoff, about three weeks before Alcock and Brown planned to take to the air.

After Vickers mechanics assembled the bomber, pilot and navigator conducted test flights to ensure their plane was ready for this endurance trip. Once insured, they filled the tanks and packed their food and drink – including beer and whiskey for “fortification” – as well as their lucky mascots: two stuffed cats, named Lucky Jim and Twinkle Toes.

The bumpy takeoff on the afternoon of June 14 was a harbinger of what was to come. Alcock and Brown faced many challenges during the trip, including dense fog, snow, rain and severe turbulence. Twice the Vimy unexpectedly dived into the waves. Twice Alcock pulled the stick at the last second.

In addition, an electric generator broke down, cutting off power to the radio, intercom and heating. Alcock and Brown were essentially flying blind across a vast ocean with no landmarks to guide them. They were wearing electrically heated suits, but the batteries soon died and they found themselves shivering in rain-soaked clothing during their journey, most of which was at night.

On three occasions, Brown had to clear ice from a dipstick to check fuel mixtures. To do this, he had to stand upright in his seat in a 100 mile per hour blast of cold air. On the third attempt, he felt searing pain in his left leg, which had been shattered by a bullet during the war, and was nearly blown out of the cockpit.

73 years after winning the first ‘Top Gun’ contest, black pilots are honored

The next morning, after 16 hours of flying with only a compass and a sexton for direction, the couple spotted land. It was Ireland. Alcock and Brown had planned to fly to London but decided not to risk going any further. They settled in what they thought was a field but turned out to be a bog. The aircraft sank in mud and rolled over, but the pilot and navigator were uninjured.

Newspaper headlines around the world announced their accomplishments, including the first transatlantic mail flight. They had taken with them a small bag of letters to be delivered.

Airmen were taken to Galway for parades and celebrations, where they were treated as triumphant victors. They spent the night at a local hotel, but were groggy when they woke up the next day – possibly the first people to experience what we now call jet lag.

“Yesterday I was in America and I’m the first man in Europe to say that,” Alcock told the cheering crowd.

In London, the couple met Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for War and Air. He presented Alcock and Brown with their £10,000 prize. (They donated 2,000 pounds to the ground crew.)

“I really don’t know what we should admire more in our guests, their audacity or their good fortune,” Churchill said. He announced that the pair were to receive the Knight Commandery of the Order of the British Empire from King George V at Windsor Castle. Knighted airmen would be treated as the equivalent of rock stars – until Lindbergh eclipsed their record.

Both were enjoying the glory of the moment, though Alcock’s reverie would be short-lived. He died six months later from injuries sustained in a plane crash. Brown lived to be 62, although he limped for the rest of his life as a result of his war injury.

The Vickers Vimy was rescued from the Irish bog. It has been restored and is now on display at the Science and Industry Museum in England. The toy mascot Lucky Jim is in the museum’s collection, while Twinkle Toes are in the Royal Air Force Museum.

Although the public may have forgotten their flight, Alcock and Brown’s legacy lives on. Their efforts paved the way for many more aviators, including Lindbergh in 1927, as well as the regular transatlantic commercial flights we enjoy today.

“Their accomplishments rank among the top three or four aeronautical accomplishments,” Harder said. “They proved for the first time that someone could fly 2,000 miles non-stop over water and survive. No one had even come close to that. They spearheaded the advancement aeronautical technology.

Writer Roger Angell died Friday of heart failure: NPR

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Roger Angell, a renowned baseball writer, has died at 101.

Brigitte Lacombe/Doubleday


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Brigitte Lacombe/Doubleday

Roger Angell, a renowned baseball writer, has died at 101.

Brigitte Lacombe/Doubleday

Roger Angell, the famous baseball writer and reigning man of letters who for more than 70 years helped define The New Yorker the urban spirit and style through its essays, comedy pieces and editing, is dead. He was 101 years old.

Angell died Friday of heart failure, according to The New Yorker.

“No one lives forever, but you’d be forgiven for thinking Roger had a good chance,” New Yorker Editor David Remnick wrote on Friday. “Like the rest of us, he suffered from pain, loss and doubt, but he generally kept the blues at bay, always looking forward; he continued to write, read, memorize new poems, to build new relationships.”

Heir and holder of The New Yorker early days, Angell was the son of founding fiction editor Katharine White and stepson of longtime writer EB White. He was first published in the magazine when he was 20, during World War II, and still contributing in his 90s, an incredibly thin, young man who loved tennis and vodka martinis and considered his life as “protected by privilege and engrossing work, and pulled through with good luck.”

Angell lived well by the standards of her famous family. He was a former recipient of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award, formerly the JG Taylor Spink Award, for meritorious contributions to writing about baseball, an honor previously awarded to Red Smith, Ring Lardner and Damon Runyon, among others. He was the first recipient of the award not to be a member of the organization that votes for him, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Its editing alone was the work of a lifetime. From the 1950s, when he inherited the job (and office) from his mother, writers he worked with included John Updike, Ann Beattie, Donald Barthelme and Bobbie Ann Mason, some of whom suffered numerous rejections before entering the special club of New Yorker authors. Angell himself admitted, unfortunately, that even his work has not always been remembered.

“Unlike his colleagues, he is fiercely competitive,” Brendan Gill wrote of Angell in “Here at the New Yorker,” a memoir from 1975. “Any challenge, mental or physical, exalts him.”

at Angel’s New Yorker writing has been compiled into several baseball books and publications such as “The Stone Arbor and Other Stories” and “A Day in the Life of Roger Angell”, a collection of his humorous pieces. He also edited “Nothing But You: Love Stories From the new yorkerand for years wrote an annual Christmas poem for the magazine. At 93, he completed one of his most beloved essays, the highly personal National Magazine Award-winning ‘This Old Man’.

“I’ve endured a few hits but missed worse,” he wrote. “The pains and the insults are bearable. My conversation may be full of holes and pauses, but I have learned to send a private Apache scout in the next sentence, the one that comes, to see if there are any nouns or empty verbs in the landscape up there. If he returns a warning, I’ll pause meaningfully, duh, until something else comes to mind.

Angell has been married three times, most recently to Margaret Moorman. He had three children.

Angell was born in New York in 1920 to Katharine and Ernest Angell, a lawyer who became leader of the American Civil Liberties Union. The New Yorker was founded five years later, with Katharine Angell as fiction editor and a young mind named Andy White (as EB White was known to his friends) contributing comedy pieces.

His parents were gifted and strong, apparently too strong. “What a marriage that must have been,” wrote Roger Angell in “Let Me Finish,” a book of essays published in 2006, “packed with sex, brilliance, and psychic murder, and bestowing lasting unease.” In 1929, his mother had married the kind White, and Angell would recall weekend visits to his mother and her new husband’s apartment, a place “full of young writers and artists laughing and chain-smoking”. . the new yorker.”

In high school, he was so engrossed in literature and the literary life that for Christmas one year, he asked for a book of poems by A. E. Housman, a top hat, and a bottle of sherry. Stationed in Hawaii during World War II, Angell edited an Air Force magazine and in 1944 had his first byline in the new yorker. He was identified as cap. Roger Angell, author of the short story “Three Ladies in the Morning”, and his first words to appear in the magazine were “The restaurant in the downtown hotel was almost empty at 11:30 a.m.”,

There was no sign, at least overt, of family rivalry. White encouraged her stepson to write for the magazine and even recommended that he The New Yorker founder, Harold Ross, explaining that Angell “lacks hands-on experience but he’s got the goods”. Angell, meanwhile, wrote lovingly about his stepfather. In a 2005 New Yorker essay, he noted that they were close for almost 60 years and recalled that “the sense of home and informal attachment” he derived from White’s writings was “even more powerful than he was for his other readers”.

Not everyone was charmed by Angell or the White-Angell family connection to the new yorker. Former editor Renata Adler alleged that Angell “established an overt and superficially pleasant state of war with the rest of the magazine”. Complaining about nepotism was not uncommon, and Tom Wolfe made fun of his “signature” in a magazine where his mother and stepfather were founding members. “Everything locks, surely, into place,” Wolfe wrote.

Unlike White, known for the children’s classics “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little,” Angell never wrote a major novel. But he enjoyed a loyal following through his humorous writing and baseball essays, which put him in the pantheon with professional sportswriters and with Updike, James Thurber and other moonlighting literary writers. Like Updike, he did not alter his prose style for baseball, but demonstrated how well the game suited a life of the mind.

“Baseball is not life itself, though the resemblance keeps coming up,” Angell wrote in “La Vida,” a 1987 essay. “It’s probably a good idea to keep the two sorted, but old fans, if they’re like me, can’t help but notice how artfully our game replicates a larger timeline, with its alluring optimism of April; endless (surely) midsummer; the settling of accounts in September…and then the abrupt decline of autumn, when we wish – almost demand – an extended and scintillating final adventure just before the curtain.”

Angell began covering baseball in the early 1960s when the new yorker was looking to expand its readership. Over the next few decades, he wrote definitive profiles of players ranging from Hall of Famer Bob Gibson to fallen Pittsburgh Pirates star Steve Blass and had a say in everything from manager Casey Stengel’s verbosity (” a walking pantheon of evocations”) to the wonders of Derek Jeter (“imperturbably brilliant”). He was born the year before the New York Yankees won their first World Series and his baseball memories span from primetime Babe Ruth to 21st century stars such as Jeter, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

Even as the drug and labor battles shared and even stole the headlines, he believed the real story remained on the ground. Angell never had any official credentials as a sportswriter: He was just a fan, a grateful spectator, a former high school pitcher who once aspired to the big leagues.

“Sometime in my 30s or early 40s I was seeing a psychiatrist and I came in with a dream,” Angell told The Associated Press in a 1988 interview. there were bushes and shrubs, and there was a tombstone with my name and birthday on it and the year I was.

“I brought this dream to my shrink with some trepidation and he asked me how I felt and I said I felt a bit sad. He asked me what the tombstone reminded me of and I said she reminded me of those rocks in center field at Yankee Stadium.

“Then I realized that meant the end of my baseball dreams.”

Marvel took Thanos from a genius to a total jerk

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Thanos, who in the past has outwitted some of the most intelligent creatures in the universe, was completely defeated by the Eternal Druig with a simple trick.

Warning: Contains spoilers for Eternals #12

Marvel Comics just released Thanos look like a total jerk. In Eternals #12the Mad Titan, who in the past has outwitted some of the smartest creatures in the universe, has been utterly defeated by the Eternal Druig with a simple trick.

Thanos’ most recent storyline saw him resurrected by the Eternal Phastos to be used as a tool in his machinations. Thanos, however, killed first Phastos and then the Eternal’s leader, Zuras, making Thanos the new Eternal Prime, planning to merge with the Machine – the Eternal device that regulates natural phenomena on Earth – and destroy the planet. Thanos also recruited the treacherous Druig to help with his plan, brainwashing him into forgetting how to activate a failsafe Phastos put inside Thanos to kill him if he went rogue. With the help of Druig, Thanos discovers the truth about his ancestor, Uranos, and the weapons of mass destruction he had hidden.

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Related: Thanos’ New Origin Just Changed His Role In The Marvel Universe Forever

In Eternals #12, by Kieron Gillen, Esad Ribic, and Matthew Wilson, Thanos finally decides he has no business on Earth anymore and activates Eternal Uranos’ doomsday device. However, he is then immediately consumed by his Deviant Cells which go rogue. Druig, in fact, programmed the Machine to trigger Phastos’ failsafe in case someone activated Uranos’ weapons, as a safety precaution in case Thanos wiped his mind.

It’s a rather anti-climactic conclusion to Gillen’s first story arc on Eternals. Thanos taking control of the powerful race of immortal beings and their advanced technology was an interesting and frightening development, one that could spell disaster for Earth. However, despite the long buildup, it was all resolved with Druig’s cunning trick, but it doesn’t make sense that Thanos was so easily outwitted. In the past, he entered into a battle of wits with some of the smartest and most cunning creatures in the universe, including Grandmaster and Demon Lord Mephisto, and Thanos always emerged victorious. Thanos even had Mephisto work for him for a while. In The infinity finale graphic novel, Thanos successfully negotiates with the One-Above-All, the supreme being of the entire multiverse, convincing them to recreate reality after Adam Warlock inadvertently destroys all that exists. During Infinity Gauntlet and his many other attempts to achieve absolute power, Thanos has proven that his plans almost never fail and he always thinks of all possibilities beforehand.


Because Thanos even outwitted God, it makes no sense for him to fall for Druig’s deception. Marvel Comics’ handling of Thanos has been controversial in recent years. The cunning and contemplative side of the Mad Titan has mostly been overshadowed by depictions that focus on his bloodlust and desire for destruction. Gillen’s Eternals was a breath of fresh air as it once again gave readers a nuanced look Thanos who’s a fighter as much as a schemer, but the story’s conclusion doesn’t do justice to the Mad Titan and his unrivaled intellect.

Next: Eternals Just Made Watchmen’s Most Famous Line Relevant Again


Look for Eternals #12 available now from Marvel Comics!

Iron Man Mr. Fantastic

Iron Man finally proves he’s smarter than Reed Richards


About the Author

Francesco Cacciatore
(386 articles published)

Senior comics writer @screenrant. PhD in history in my spare time. You can find me on Twitter @FrancCacc

More Francesco Cacciatore

The Bookseller – Rights – DK to publish Repair Shop Chinea star’s book on tools

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

DK to publish first book by “The Repair Shop” expert Dominic Chinea Tools: a revealing visual history of essential hardware.

Acquisitions editor Pete Jorgensen has acquired worldwide rights to Charlotte Robertson from the Robertson Murray Literary Agency. It will publish in the UK on 6and October and in the United States on 4and October.

Chinea is an expert craftsman and an essential member of the team on the popular BBC show. The book celebrates over 140 amazing tools, their history, their unique appeal, and how they can be used by creative people to create just about anything.

Jorgensen said: “Like millions of others, I’m a huge fan of watching Dom work his magic in ‘The Repair Shop’. His passion for restoration and craftsmanship is infectious, and the enthusiasm Dom displays on screen transfers just as naturally to writing. His knowledge of the right tool needed for just about any job is second to none and it’s an honor to be able to publish his wonderful tool guide. I’m sure DIYers, repairers and fans of the series will enjoy reading it.

Chinea added, “I loved the process of creating this book. I spend my days with my tools, they are my co-workers, saviors and trusted friends and having the chance to explain a bit about the different tools and their stories has been invaluable. Hopefully the book will become, like your own tools, a constant companion to which you can refer.

Matthew McConaughey explains his technology investment strategy

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

If you hear a man drawl from the South, and he speaks in pseudo-Zen koans of love, success, and family, while analyzing life’s moments according to his inspired moral roadmap traffic lights, chances are it’s Matthew McConaughey.

The actor-turned-author, whose best-selling memoir of 2020 Green light charted his personal escapades and the fluctuations of his career, has become something of an autonomous spiritualist since the publication of his book. (For the uninitiated, a green light is essentially an action taken in the present that will help your future self. The book is also jam-packed with folkloric aphorisms, like “I’d rather lose money having fun than making money being bored.” Now, perhaps in search of even greener lights, McConaughey has taken his distributed to the technology industry.

Earlier this month he was a featured speaker at Dell Technologies World, the computing giant’s showcase event, in Las Vegas, where he discussed his vision for the technology in front of a live audience with Dell’s chief marketing officer, Allison Dew. McConaughey’s inclusion at a Dell-sponsored event isn’t as unusual as it might seem at first glance: it’s actually a active player in technology, with investments in companies such as MoonPay and 1Password.

Shortly after the Dell Expo, we chatted with McConaughey via email about his personal green lights and how he thinks Austin can continue to grow as a tech hub without losing its sense of cool. (It should be noted that his answers were sent in all caps; for the sake of our readers, we have reformatted his answers to a standard sentence case.)

You’ve talked in the past about how “green lights” can take many forms; sometimes it’s as simple as refilling the coffee maker overnight, and other times it’s a tough long-term investment. So, I’m curious: what are your green lights today? And for those bigger decisions, how do you know in the moment – and not just after the fact – when something is a green light? (For example, if the investment you make turns out to be a bad investment, isn’t that a yellow or even a red light?)

My green lights today are mostly long-term investments – in my family, my relationships, my job, my health, and my businesses. Being the best father I can be for my children is an investment in their future, taking the time to listen and advise a friend is an investment in the future of my brotherhood, writing daily is an investment in a future book, eating well and exercising is an investment in my future health, and investing in catering businesses is an investment in the future of civilization. My goal is for all the investments I make in my life to have a philosophy that is synonymous with value.

As to whether they are all green lights? Sometimes you know, sometimes not. Sometimes it’s sacrifices today for greater rewards tomorrow; select the hardest choice now to create more value later – that would be an intentional yellow or red that I invest in and bet to turn green later. Other times, green lights are obvious low-hanging fruits – something that serves me immediately and will continue in the future.

Green light made you something of a spiritual teacher to all kinds of people, including many people in the tech industry. You also talked about technology as a tool – and perhaps a reflection – of humanity. How can people use this tool more responsibly? Is it simply a question of personal responsibility?

Technology is a lot like fire. It can make us more comfortable, it can help us see and show us the way, and it can be quite destructive. Industry and technology leaders should take it as a personal responsibility that the technology we create is a constructive force for good. When shaping the future, which is what technology does, it’s easy for leaders to say, “The algorithm will tell us.” Well, I think that’s a brilliant and deeply chilling answer. As has always been the case with how humans interact with technology, the question, responsibility and opportunity lies in our answer to “What are we programming into the algorithm?”

Which one can bring us the most money? What gives us more access, speed and data? Alright, great, but if that’s it, then technology won’t ultimately win because humanity will lose. The access, speed and data that technology provides should be directed towards avenues such as curing disease and generally providing not only faster but deeper insights that can improve humanity such as we know her. I believe the tech industry needs to take personal responsibility to program algorithms and systems that create more life force. Technology is a tool, and I hope those who develop and use it believe that people are still our greatest asset. What are the values ​​that we can all agree should be programmed into systems that humans rely on to make our lives more meaningful?

If and when technology stimulates, inspires and activates human potential, then it becomes something more than a visionary revolution that we must be responsible for – it becomes the art of evolution that we want to choose.

Choice is key.

You speak with love in Green light about Austin as a place where ‘all you have to be. . . is you.” You’re also an active participant in the tech industry, speaking this month at Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas. Given the influx of tech companies of all sizes to Austin, fear Are you worried that the city you love will one day become unrecognizable to you? Or, more simply: Are you worried that Austin will stop being “weird”?

I do it. Whenever a place or a person, for that matter, experiences such rapid growth in such a short time, its identity is put to the test. Austin is a city of authentic soul: how we treat each other, what we expect of each other, what we value. With the massive technology migration to our city, we are going through natural growing pains – the soul of Austin is being challenged, and it’s up to Austinites, new and old, to look in the mirror as we navigate this growth spurt. I implore new tech companies to see their residence as more than just a tax haven in the state of Texas, but to invest in the fabric of this unique and classic American city called Austin. We have companies like Dell Technologies with a 38-year history in Austin that have laid the foundation for our city’s growth as a technology hub, but the public and private sectors must continue to work together to ensure that the community and the Austin’s culture remain intact. With growth comes change, but hopefully technology can help Austin address some of the growing challenges we have like traffic, housing, and homelessness, to name a few. Let tech companies look at Austin and Austinites, and see what they can perhaps learn from our city and from companies like Dell that are advancing education, infrastructure, and workforce development, so they don’t try to turn here into why they went there.

More than “weird”, Austin thrives on his authenticity – the freedom to be yourself, to respect and trust yourself, are social contracts that are an Austin legacy.

You spoke at the Dell event about the importance of ethical investing and green thinking. You also talked about how your travels have shaped you. How to reconcile these two feelings? How should we, as people who (presumably) want to do the right thing for our fellow human beings, weigh our desire to see the world and experience other places against the huge toll of emissions from such exploration?

Stay a little longer wherever you go.

You also stated that you invest in companies that subscribe to your own values ​​and cited “catering” as a big North Star for your investment principal. Can you elaborate a bit on that? What are the issues that guide your decisions as an investor? And what industries are you most excited about right now?

Society is in a rut. America is in a rut. What values ​​have we forgotten that we must restore in order to progress and evolve? As I said when answering a previous question, how can technology help us get out of this rut ​​and into a more evolved future? I am interested in sustainable innovation, that is to say innovative ideas that can meet long-term needs.

When it comes to restoration, I look for businesses that aim to uplift, empower, build, redefine, and bring new or renewed health to individuals, communities, and systems. Some of my investments in private companies and partnerships with public companies include:

  • Be together : Creates a restorative link between health care and social services so that people get the health outcome they need rather than just something that doesn’t solve a problem.
  • Residence : A restorative system empowering small businesses on Main Street and hourly workers in small towns across America, reducing stress on their business and employees with tools typically reserved for large corporations.
  • Workrise: Improves the skills of traders and restores the path to the middle class for those who build America.
  • Selling power : A company with a shared commitment to restore and create the values ​​of customer service, equal opportunity, sustainability, innovation and trust.
  • Austin FC and the Moody Center: Both are restorative to my local community because, through music and sports, they create a culture of joy, excitement and camaraderie within our city.
  • Moon Pay: Democratizes access to the crypto economy by making Web3 technology and tools more accessible, changing the way creatives, artists, and athletes approach art, fan engagement, and property management intellectual.
  • 1Password: Gives users access to software that stores their passwords securely, alleviating worries about data and breaches, and restoring peace of mind.

Senate approves overhaul of infant formula rules in aid program

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday approved a bill to ease the shortage of infant formula for families participating in a government assistance program that accounts for about half of all formula purchased in the United States.

The House passed the bill the day before, so it is now up to President Biden to sign it into law.

Participants in a program known as WIC receive vouchers that are redeemed for specific foods to supplement their diet. Vouchers can generally only be used to purchase one brand of infant formula, which encourages the manufacturer to offer deep discounts to secure a state’s business.

The bill allows the Department of Agriculture, in extenuating circumstances, to waive certain requirements so that WIC participants can purchase any brand available.

“Now millions of parents will have an easier time finding the formula they need,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said after the bill passed.

Also on Thursday, the administration said the Department of Defense was working to book commercial planes to fly about 246 pallets of Nestle Formula from Zurich, Switzerland, to Plainfield, Indiana.

Shipments will include the equivalent of up to 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of three formulas – Alfamino Infant, Alfamino Junio ​​and Gerber Good Start Extensive HA, all hypoallergenic formulas for children with milk protein allergies. cow. The White House has said this is a priority because they serve an essential medical purpose and are in short supply.

Lawmakers are also considering beefing up the Food and Drug Administration with a $28 emergency spending bill. That legislation also passed the House this week, but faces uncertain prospects in the Senate.

The shortage of infant formula was caused by the closure for safety reasons of the country’s largest infant formula manufacturing plant. The FDA chief told lawmakers on Thursday that the plant could be operational as early as next week.

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Andy Baraghani talks food and identity in new cookbook

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Baraghani shares her philosophy on food and identity with Healthline – plus, the Chickpea Cacio e Pepe recipe from her new book.

Andy Baraghani describes himself as curious — curious to cook, to travel, to mix these passions and to share what he has learned with others.

This curiosity underpins the philosophy behind her next cookbook, “The Cook You Want to Be: Everyday Recipes to Impress,” is slated for release May 24 from Lorena Jones Books (Penguin Random House).

“I want to gather as much information and knowledge as I can and process it, and then be able to store it or, even better, pass that information on,” Baraghani told Healthline.

A chef, food writer, recipe developer and former editor of Bon Appétit et Saveur, Baraghani seeks to do just that in his cookbook: guide readers in creating dishes that don’t require a lot of culinary experience, knowledge of nutrition or kitchen gadgets.

The more than 120 recipes are inspired by his identity as a first-generation queer Iranian-American, as well as his experiences traveling the world and cooking for and with others, such as at restaurants like Chez Panisse and Estela. .

To that end, the cookbook features personal essays that explore these inspirations and offer practical tips for making cooking simpler.

“There are stories and personal experiences in this book that I write about, but I wanted to get the reader to embrace those stories, embrace those techniques, embrace those recipes, and really integrate and apply the knowledge they learned. through my experiences in their own lives so they can feel more empowered in the kitchen and become the cook they want to be,” Baraghani said.

The cookbook’s offerings range from “Mighty Little Recipes” — such as sauces and dressings — and snacks to share (like Borani, aka the queen of all yogurt dips) to meat dishes and a few desserts. , like an apple and tahini pancake.

But, Baraghani said, “this book is mostly about vegetables.”

In fact, he said one of his favorite chapters is “Salad for Days,” which is — you guessed it — all about innovative salads, including the eat-with-everything cucumber salad and chunky ones. of citrus with avocado and caramelized dates.

Another favorite chapter, “Mind Your Veg,” puts veggies front and center in recipes like caramelized sweet potatoes with browned butter harissa and peas with chunky chunks of feta and zhoug.

“I really tried to give people options and variations,” Baraghani said. “I really tried to think of what would be easy for people to access but also feel good about having made this meal.”

“I want the food to not only taste good, but I want it to make you feel good.”

—Andy Baraghani

Part of that effort, he said, included writing recipes that don’t expect readers to use kitchen gadgets like juicers or garlic presses if they don’t want to. not or do not have these items on hand.

Although the book includes a guide to kitchen equipment and utensils that people might find useful, Baraghani said it was important to keep it practical.

“I think there’s this fear in so many people who cook,” he said. “Adding all this equipment over-complicates tasks that aren’t complicated at all.”

It’s also why, in the age of YouTube chefs and TikTok recipes, Baraghani was inspired to publish a print cookbook rather than share those recipes online.

A print cookbook, he said, encourages something critical that social media cooking doesn’t necessarily make room for: taking your time.

Additionally, it allowed Baraghani to work with designers, photographers, and other artists to lay out the cookbook so that the book itself could contribute to the storytelling in its own way.

“There’s something that’s always very satisfying, at least for me, about cooking from a book and not scrolling down a page or looking into your phone,” he said. “I want people to sit with the images. I want people to sit down with the type, title, copy, top note, sidebars, recipe taste. I don’t think that’s something that happens that often with digital media.

You can order “The Cook You Want to Be: Everyday Recipes to Impress” at Books by Lorena Jones (Penguin Random House) via Amazon here.

“I certainly don’t promise that you will be the greatest cook in the world after this book,” Baraghani said. “I promise you will learn at least one thing that will make you a more confident and curious cook.”

There are many pasta recipes out there (aka chickpea pasta). The majority I’ve come across is broth, almost soup. This recipe features both chickpeas and pasta but is just as comforting and much creamier than the usual versions. Much of the magic of this dish is in mashing the chickpeas, so they release their starches and turn the pasta water into a creamy sauce. Some chickpeas hold their shape, while others turn into delicious mush, and the caramelized lemon imparts chewy flavor and brings pasta to life after boiling. It’s incredibly satisfying. If I still need convincing you to do this, it was the first meal I cooked for my boyfriend, and he’s stuck with me ever since. —Andy Baraghani

Serves: 4 (plus, maybe, some remnants, although I doubt it)

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small Meyer or regular lemon, thinly sliced, seeds picked
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 sprig of rosemary or 4 sprigs of thyme
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound tubular pasta (such as calamarata, paccheri, or rigatoni)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a handful of salt (about 1/4 cup).
  2. While the water is doing its job, place a large saucepan or separate Dutch oven over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the lemon and cook, using tongs to flip the slices, until they begin to brown slightly and shrivel, 6 to 8 minutes. Using the tongs, transfer the caramelized lemon slices to a bowl, leaving the oil in the pan.
  3. Drop the chickpeas into the oil and let them become a little crispy and golden, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. Add the shallot and crush the rosemary to release its oil and place it in the pot. Season with salt and plenty of pepper and stir everything together. Cook until the shallot begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until almost al dente, about 2 minutes less than the packet suggests (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
  4. Just before the pasta is al dente, collect 2 cups of cooking water. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking water to the pan with the chickpeas and bring to a boil, still over medium heat. (It may seem like a lot of liquid, but it will thicken once the remaining ingredients are added.) A piece at a time, stir in the butter until the pasta water and butter are just combined. a.
  5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the sauce. Cook, stirring often and gradually sprinkling with Parmesan. (Do not add the cheese all at once, as this can split the sauce and become grainy.) Continue to stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta, about 3 minutes . If the sauce seems too thick, add more pasta water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to thin it out (but be aware that a thicker sauce is ideal as it will thicken as it cools). Turn off the heat and stir in the caramelized lemon. Sprinkle with an almost ridiculous amount of pepper and more Parmesan cheese before serving.

Rose Thorne is associate editor at Healthline Nutrition. A 2021 graduate of Mercer University with a degree in journalism and women’s and gender studies, Rose has signed for Business Insider, The Washington Post, The Lily, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and more. The professional accomplishments of which Rose is most proud include being editor of a college journal and working for Fair Fight Action, the national suffrage organization. Rose covers the intersections of gender, sexuality and health, and is a member of the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists and the Association of Trans Journalists.. You can find Rose on Twitter.

How independent authors and independent booksellers can play well with each other

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

For me, as an author, there are few greater joys than seeing my books on the shelves of my local independent bookstore. For many of us, it’s the dream we see in our minds when we start putting pen to paper. But if you’re self-publishing, that’s often not an easy dream to achieve. And for booksellers, it can be difficult to know which books are suitable for their limited storage space.

Notice to booksellers

I too am an independent bookseller and I know what it’s like over there. We are busy, exhausted and stressed from the past two years, and we are hungry to do our job well and ensure quality books get into the right hands of readers. Time is precious and so is our energy. Sifting through requests for storage space or author events from self-published authors can seem like the proverbial straw on the camel’s back – especially when it seems that these authors are often not very knowledgeable about the operation of the business.

But there are all sorts of reasons why people self-publish. Yes, some people are not as informed as they could be. I’m not going to deny it. Some people blindly go into self-publishing without researching best practices, and most likely never writing anything beyond a first draft. There are terrible covers, badly written covers and badly conceived stories.

But there are also many, many serious writers and entrepreneurs in the freelance writing industry. Some people, for many valid reasons, prefer self-publishing as a business model. And others of us, our hearts having been repeatedly broken by traditional publishing, see it as an opportunity to get our book into readers’ hands rather than languishing in our metaphorical bottom drawer.

I can’t speak for all self-published authors, but here’s my story: I’ve been writing seriously for 13 years. I’ve read dozens of craft books, earned an MFA, and taken countless courses. I was shortlisted for a prestigious award in the UK. I had two agents who got excited and pitched two different novels to publishers. These publishers have been so kind and enthusiastic, saying all sorts of nice things about my writing, comparing me to authors like Jojo Moyes, and then politely refusing to publish me for reasons that often have nothing to do with quality. of the book. .

Then having a bookseller in an independent bookstore – which I love, which I defend – looks at me with suspicion or even with a sneer breaks my already very bruised heart. It also means that I will probably never spend money there or recommend anyone else to.

So my number one advice for independent bookstores is this: please don’t make assumptions and please extend the grace. You’ll have to say no often, but please do it kindly.

Tips for Freelance Writers

Long before you publish, make friends with your local independent bookstore

The store whose staff will be most happy to support you is the store where you are known. Maybe you spend money there. Maybe you bring your friends and recommend books and get them spend money. Maybe you regularly post beautiful photos of the store on social media.

Follow the instructions on their website

Before approaching a bookstore with your book, take a look at their website. There’s probably a process to go through, and the people who decide which books the store stocks aren’t usually the people you’ll meet at checkout. Follow the instructions. If the website says shipping is currently paused, make a note to check back on the website in a few months – don’t just walk in and hope the booksellers on duty can undo that.

Know the right language to use and the right information to give them

Most bookstores get their books primarily from a source like Ingram. They pay a wholesale price when selling or returning, which means if they don’t sell the book, they can return it free of charge. Love or hate the system, it’s what allows bookstores to take risks and stock all kinds of books rather than surefire bestsellers – they don’t lose money if those books don’t end up selling.

This means that, in most cases, your book should be available through Ingram, either for sale or for return, at a standard 55% discount, if you want your book stocked in bookstores. And telling staff that your book falls into this category lets them know you’ve done your research and understand how the industry works. It also tells them that the process of ordering your book will be relatively easy, which is another point in your favor.

Some bookstores also take books on consignment, but it’s more administrative for them and for you, and sometimes there’s a charge for shelf space. This is one way to proceed if for some reason your book is not available through Ingram. But it’s also one more hurdle to overcome in the process, and if there’s one thing no author or bookseller needs, it’s additional hurdles.

Whether or not your book is available on Amazon is irrelevant to your conversation with them – bookstores don’t buy their books from Amazon and then resell them. That’s not how the model works. And mentioning Amazon is absolutely not going to endear you to them – Amazon isn’t just the competitor; he is considered by many to be the greatest existential threat to the independent bookstore. For some booksellers, even an Amazon link in a first email you send them is a giant red flag.

Make information concise

The best way to ensure that all the information the bookstore needs to decide whether or not to stock your book – and how to sell it once they do – is to create a fact sheet (sometimes called AI sheet or single sheet). Where possible, in bullet form, include basic information such as cover price, the wholesaler the book is available from, your social media accounts, and any good reviews or press your book has had , as well as the basics such as your cover, book description, and author bio. For bonus points, include some details about your marketing strategy. Booksellers will want to know that you have a plan beyond putting the book on the shelf, because unfortunately selling a book takes more than that.

Generate sales once your book is in stock

Once a book is available at a local independent bookstore, be sure to regularly tag it in social media posts about your book and mention the store whenever you mention your book. If they see you using their storage space and then exclusively telling people to go to Amazon, they won’t be… let’s say charitably, not thrilled. Depending on the bookstore, they might like the idea of ​​you signing stock for them, or including swag or goodies with pre-orders.

Be respectful

Like authors, booksellers take pride in doing their job well. They have a million different things to balance to do that. Respect his time — if he asks you not to call him, for example, don’t call — and, if he Nope is the answer, politely accept it. It’s hard not to take it personally, I know that. But there is always the next book.

Want to know more about this topic? Find out how our beginner’s guide to finding great self-published fiction and some recommendations for great self-published books.

How Kenya’s Auditor General Misinterpreted China’s Standard Gauge Railway Contracts

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

In December 2018, a leaked letter from the Kenyan auditor general’s office sparked a rumor that Kenya had staked its bustling port of Mombasa as collateral for the Chinese-funded standard gauge railway. Our new research shows why the collateral rumor is false.

Former Auditor General Edward Ouko was completing the 2017/18 audit of the National Ports Authority. He warned that the assets of the port authority – of which the port of Mombasa is the most valuable – risked being taken over by China Eximbank if Kenya failed to repay the $3.6 billion in railway loans.

The profitable port of Mombasa is East Africa’s main gateway for international trade. Launched in 2017, the railway was intended to seamlessly connect the port to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and landlocked countries beyond.

The Kenyan fears mirrored another widely reported story earlier in 2018. In that story, China allegedly “seized” the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka when the island nation struggled to repay Chinese loans. This allegation of “debt trap diplomacy” was later revealed to be a myth, but not before sparking fears about other major Chinese projects.

Both the Chinese and Kenyan governments have denied that the Mombasa port was a guarantee but have offered no explanation. Perplexed by the leaked letterour team of scholars and practitioners of international trade law and project finance spent months collecting primary documents and mapping the contractual structure of the project.

To our surprise, we found that the collateral rumor stemmed from a seemingly small but critical misreading by the Auditor General. The chief auditor wrongly characterized the port authority as the borrower, responsible for repaying China’s rail loans. He claimed that by waiving sovereign immunity, the Kenyan government had “expressly guaranteed” that the port authority’s assets could be used to repay the Chinese loan. The Auditor General was wrong on both charges.

For the Auditor General, and many others, the debate over the Mombasa Railway and Port has been complicated by technical terms and practices. These are commonly used in the law and business of international project finance, but are unfamiliar outside of this area.

Although some public awareness would have been necessary, publication of the contracts (which Kenya’s High Court ordered the government to do last week) could have prevented the Auditor General’s error and allowed a debate on the facts rather than rumours.

Map the project

The four main stakeholders in financing the standard gauge railway were the National Treasury of Kenya (the borrower), Kenya Railway Corporation (the project company), Kenya Ports Authority and China Eximbank (the lender) . The figure below illustrates complicated contractual and payment arrangements.

the complexity of contractual and payment terms. Author provided

Kenya’s Treasury explained the railway’s financing arrangements and credit enhancements in detail during a 2013 briefing to Kenya’s parliament. The government had arranged several credit enhancements to enhance the financial attractiveness of the expensive project, making it “bankable”.

Among these was a “take or pay” agreement signed between the national railway company and the port authority. Under this 15-year agreement, the port authority has committed to ship (or “take”) a minimum amount of goods on the new railway each year. If freight shipments fell below the agreed annual level, the Kenya Ports Authority would draw from its own revenue to cover (“pay”) the shortfall.

The port authority is therefore the main customer of the Standard Gauge Railway, and not its collateral. The Treasury has also promised that the Railway Development Levy, a 1.5% levy on imports from Kenya, will support the project.

Mistakes

One of our most important findings is that the government’s chief auditor erred in calling the Kenya Ports Authority a borrower. If the port authority was the borrower, that would mean that it had co-signed the Chinese loans and was also responsible for repayment. But the Port Authority is by no means a borrower.

Clause 17.5 of the Quadripartite Agreement quoted by the Auditor General in his report set out the relationship: “Each of the Borrowers, Kenya Rail Company and Kenya Port Authority agrees…”

Our legal expert immediately noted that these were three entities: the Treasury of Kenya (the borrower), the railway company and the port authority.

Map showing East Africa and the lines.
East African Standard Gauge Railway. China-Africa Research Initiative.

Yet this distinction was missed by the Auditor General, who wrongly paraphrased the clause by referring to two entities: “each of the borrowers, in this case Kenya Railways Corporation and Kenya Ports Authority…”

The Auditor General then pointed to clause 17.5 to say that the Port Authority was a borrower and therefore its assets were at risk. The auditor accused the Port Authority of not disclosing it during the audit. The Auditor General was operating on faulty assumptions that influenced his opinion of the Port Authority’s responsibilities.

What does waiver of sovereign immunity mean?

The Treasury, the Kenya Ports Authority and the Kenya Railways Corporation have all signed “sovereign immunity waivers”. Indeed, all three were parties to various contracts as part of the package. Under international law, sovereign states and the entities they control enjoy sovereign immunity. This means that they are generally immune from legal proceedings and cannot be compelled to appear before a foreign court or an arbitration body, nor to enforce a judgment rendered outside their borders. Yet few international banks will offer a loan if there is no possibility of arbitration in the event of a dispute and no legal way to recover their money in the event of borrower default.

A published cache of loan contracts signed by Cameroon with banks and export credit agencies in Austria, India, Germany, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom shows that all demanded these clauses. As one American lawyer noted,

to omit a sovereign immunity waiver from an international commercial loan agreement would be professional misconduct.

However, there is quite a big gap between a general waiver of sovereign immunity and the specification of a particular asset as a post as collateral.

Our findings clarify similar rumors that borrowing governments pledged strategic assets like land or ports in exchange for Chinese funding. These are Zambia (Kenneth Kaunda airport), Uganda (Entebbe airport) and Montenegro (Bar port).

Debt-trap diplomacy’s fear of borrowers’ strategic assets being directly (and deliberately) threatened by Chinese banks continues to fail the test of evidence.The conversation

Deborah Brautigam, Bernard L Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy, Johns Hopkins University

This article is republished from The conversation under Creative Commons license. Read the original article.





Larry Woiwode, author of beloved 1970s novel, dies at 80

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Jennifer E. Sibley
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0
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Larry Woiwode, whose 1975 novel, ‘Beyond the Bedroom Wall,’ a multi-generational saga about a Midwestern family, was hailed as one of the finest works of fiction of its time, died April 28 in a hospital from Bismarck, ND He was 80 years old.

The death was confirmed by his wife, Carole Woiwode, who did not cite a specific cause.

Mr. Woiwode (pronounced Wye-woody) grew up in North Dakota and Illinois, the two main settings of “Beyond the Bedroom Wall”, and emerged in the 1960s as a hugely promising young writer. He published short stories in The New Yorker and his debut novel, “What I’m Going to Do, I Think,” about the struggles of a newly married couple, won the William Faulkner Foundation Award as Best first novel of 1969.

He spent years revising his second novel, “Beyond the Bedroom Wall,” which charted the heartaches and changing fortunes of the German immigrant Neumiller family for nearly a century after arriving in the North Dakota in 1881. Critics praised Mr. Woiwode’s evocative prose and almost Victorian sweep of the novel, which ran to over 600 pages.

The opening scenes showed a son returning to North Dakota after a long absence to bury his father – washing and dressing his body and making the casket himself. The plot revolved around the tragedies and secrets of the family, its Catholic faith, and the inevitable forces that separate children and parents. It also contained passages of silent lyricism, such as when a grandson of Neumiller meditates on his life:

“When he was a child and he couldn’t sleep, he would lay on his bed…and think, Beyond the bedroom wall is Mom and Dad’s room, and all the other rooms around it, then the yard around it, and beyond the yard is the town and country with its farms and all the other towns in the county of Stusrud, then the rest of the counties filling the state , and beyond North Dakota are the rest of the states and Canada (a vague, reassuring shape), then the oceans beyond North and South America, the globe, until he feels close to a vast source of power, God or the sun, and falls asleep against it.

Reviewing the book for The New York Times, novelist John Gardner wrote, “It seems to me that nothing more beautiful and moving has been written for years. In 1992, Washington Post book reviewer Jonathan Yardley named “Beyond the Bedroom Wall” one of the 22 greatest works of American fiction of the 20th century.

The novel was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Mr. Woiwode was discussed in the same conversations as other major writers of the day, including Toni Morrison, Robert Stone and William Styron.

Toni Morrison, Nobel laureate who transformed American literature, dies at 88

After living for more than a decade in New York, where he wrote his first two novels, Mr. Woiwode and his wife moved in 1978 to a farm in North Dakota, where they raised their children. Mr Woiwode published three more novels, several collections of poetry and short stories and non-fiction books, but he never again received the acclaim he had for “Beyond the Bedroom Wall”.

His 1981 novel, “Poppa John,” was about a declining soap opera actor confronting his faith and his mortality. A 1988 sequel to “Bedroom Wall,” “Born Brothers,” picked up the Neumiller family saga, then was followed a year later by “The Neumiller Stories,” from which much of the earlier novel was taken. In “Indian Affairs” (1992), Mr. Woiwode revisited the characters of his first novel.

Critics admired the clear prose and heartfelt descriptions of the landscape, but as Yardley wrote in 1989, “he told the same stories too often”.

Larry Alfred Woiwode was born on October 30, 1941 in Carrington, ND He was the fifth generation of his family to live in the state.

Her father was an English teacher and high school principal. Her mother was a housewife. The family moved to a small town in Illinois in 1950, and Larry was 9 years old when his mother died – a loss that would echo in his writings for decades.

Mr. Woiwode attended the University of Illinois, where he studied literature and drama and worked in radio. He was particularly drawn to Shakespeare and moved first to Florida to pursue an acting career, then to New York. A friend of his was fellow aspiring actor, Robert De Niro.

As a student, Mr Woiwode had been introduced to William Maxwell, a longtime New Yorker fiction writer and editor who had helped shape the careers of John Cheever, JD Salinger and John Updike. Like Mr. Woiwode, Maxwell had grown up in Illinois and lost his mother at an impressionable age.

At their meetings in Central Park, Maxwell brought Mr. Woiwode sandwiches—sometimes his only meal of the day—encouraged his writing, and published more than a dozen of his stories in The New Yorker.

After settling near Mott, ND, Mr. Woiwode got into organic farming. He and his wife home-schooled their four children.

Raised as a Catholic, Mr. Woiwode abandoned the religion in his twenties. Later he became a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a small conservative denomination that broke away from traditional Presbyterianism and emphasizes a fundamentalist reading of the Bible. In 1998, Mr. Woiwode unsuccessfully ran for the North Dakota state legislature as a Republican.

He has published collections of essays on literature and religious matters, two volumes of memoirs, and several biographies of North Dakota notables. He had been the state poet laureate since 1995.

Mr. Woiwode has taught literature and fiction writing throughout his career, including at Wheaton College in Illinois and the University of North Dakota. In the mid-1980s, he directed the writing program at Binghamton University in New York. For the past few years, he has lived in Jamestown, ND, where he was writer-in-residence at Jamestown University. His honors included two Guggenheim Fellowships and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for “Distinction in the Art of the Short Story.”

Survivors include his wife since 1965, the former Carole Peterson; four children; two sisters; a brother; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.

“Imagination is, indeed, memory,” Mr. Woiwode wrote in “Born Brothers,” his 1988 novel about the Neumiller family descendants from “Beyond the Bedroom Wall.”

“Our memories, words and deeds are linked like cells to others,” he continued, “so that no version is correct and our earliest memories come together in a pattern that informs another scheme that arrives, adding extra density to the original, and that’s about all we know.

5 Indie Visual Novel Games You Need to Play Right Away

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

This article is written in partnership with Gamecamp.gg.

If you like the visual novel game subgenre, there are a few prominent titles that always come to mind: the Danganronpa series, Steins;Gate and Steins;Gate 0 (my personal favorites), and the Ace Attorney series. Even Atlus’ beloved Persona series is as much a visual novel as it is an RPG. But what about visual novels from indie developers? Here are the incredibly picked games that may have fallen a bit under the radar.

A few months ago, a friend who isn’t a gamer at all called me out of the blue, his voice dripping with the utmost urgency. I thought there was an emergency, like he needed to be taken to the hospital. But no. Instead, he needed to know if I had heard of hateful boyfriend.

hateful boyfriend is your average dating sim, except it’s not. Instead of hot humans, you’re a human being finding the love of your life among a cast of very haughty birds. Many of these birds will die during the story. hateful boyfriend is a treasure.

Synopsis: “Congratulations! You have been accepted as the only human student at the prestigious St. PigeoNation’s Institute, a school for talented birds! Roam the halls and find love between classes as a sophomore in the biggest pigeon high school in the world. Finding happiness won’t be easy, but it’s not all academic – there’s always time for a little romance in this delightful remake of Hato Moa’s popular visual novel/bird dating sim Hatoful Boyfriend! »

paradise killer is a fascinating mix of RPG, visual novel and mystery genres. And it boasts a flawless chillwave aesthetic and a stunning soundtrack. All of the weird gods you investigate for murder are hilarious and sexy, even if they’re a skeleton. You play as a woman named Lady Love Dies, and the game has insane replayability. Seriously, find me fault here.

Synopsis: “Paradise Island, a world beyond reality. There’s been a murder that only “investigation freak” Lady Love Dies can solve. Gather evidence and interrogate suspects in this open-world adventure. You can accuse anyone, but you will have to prove your case at trial to be convicted. It’s up to you to decide who is guilty.

Doki Doki Literature Club starts out innocently and innocently enough, seemingly ticking the boxes for the classic high school dating sim. But beware: the trailer itself states that the game is not suitable “for children or those who are easily disturbed”. Doki Doki Literature Club is actually a psychological horror game. It’s highly acclaimed and regularly praised for its innovative storytelling, but take those trigger warnings very, very seriously.

Synopsis: “Welcome to the club! Write poems for your crush and experience the terror of school romance in this critically acclaimed psychological horror story.

Right after watching this trailer, the dream dad theme song is going to be stuck in my head for days. I am both amused and upset by this. Either way, we love all things dad here at Mary Sue, so this game will be your ally if you’re another dad fan and want a dad dating sim. Plus, the minigames are cute and fun.

Synopsis: “Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a game where you play as a dad and your goal is to meet and seduce other hot dads. Are you ready? Hey ready, I’m a dad.

underworld was one of the quintessential games that got me through 2020 and 2021. The game immediately preceding underworld in the work of developer Supergiant Games is bonfirea party-based RPG and graphic novel in one. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the voice acting, art style and music of underworld … Here is!

Synopsis: “A party-based RPG/visual novel/sports game hybrid in which the player, dubbed the reader for his literacy by the group of scavengers who discover him, is sent into exile in a lawless wasteland called the Downside and must leading his ever-growing group of misfits to places where many similar groups clash in rituals in order to achieve freedom and be absolved of their crimes.

—

What are some of your favorite visual novel games? Tell us in the comments!

(featured image: Devolver Digital)

—The Mary Sue has a strict commenting policy that prohibits, but is not limited to, personal insults towards nobodyhate speech and trolling.—

Do you have a tip we should know? [email protected]

The Bookseller – News – Coffee Break Languages ​​Enters Print Market with Teach Yourself Partnership

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Language-learning company Coffee Break Languages ​​enters the print market for the first time in a partnership with John Murray’s language-learning course provider and publisher, Teach Yourself.

Coffee Break Languages’ podcasts and online courses are downloaded more than two million times a month and offered in seven different languages, according to the organization.

Four new titles will mark the brand’s expansion into the print market: 50 French coffee breaks, 50 German coffee breaks, 50 Italian coffee breaks and 50 Spanish coffee breaks. They will be released simultaneously on June 9, 2022.

The books, all written by experienced language teachers, include 50 activities that learners can do in five, 10 or 15 minutes, “so you can easily turn your downtime into ‘work time'”.

Sarah Cole, Publishing Director of Teach Yourself Languages, said: “I’ve been a lifelong fan of Coffee Break Languages’ resources, all created by expert linguists who approach language learning in a unique way: make it enjoyable, make it achievable, and make it a habit. As we all know, good habits are what ultimately lead to success.

“These books provide a reliable resource for short, fun practice of all key skills, and can be used with other books, apps, classroom learning, or on their own to improve your level. We’re excited to put the Coffee Break method into the hands of people around the world and we look forward to adding additional languages ​​to the series so that more people can learn a language, one cup at a time.

Mark Pentleton, CEO and Founder of Coffee Break Languages, added that across Coffee Breaks’ 50 books, learners will be able to practice their language skills through a range of activities designed to help build new knowledge and consolidate that that learners already know.

“From expanding vocabulary through Word Builder activities, to gaining insight into how language works in mini grammar challenges, and developing cultural awareness in reading-focused activities, learners in languages ​​can improve their language skills, all in the time it takes to grab a coffee,” he said.

Commodity markets: evolution, challenges and policies

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Commodity markets are an integral part of the global economy. Understanding what drives the development of these markets is essential to designing policy frameworks that facilitate the economic goals of sustainable growth, inflation stability, poverty reduction, food security, and climate change mitigation. This study is the first comprehensive analysis examining the evolution of markets and policies for all commodity groups, including energy, metals and agriculture, over the past century. He finds that while the amount of raw materials consumed has increased enormously, driven by population and income growth, the relative importance of raw materials has changed over time as technological innovation has created new uses for certain materials and facilitated substitution between raw materials. The study also shows that commodity markets are heterogeneous in terms of drivers, price behavior and macroeconomic impact across emerging markets and developing economies, and that the relationship between economic growth and commodity demand raw materials varies considerably from country to country, depending on their stage of economic development. . Policy frameworks that allow for countercyclical macroeconomic responses have become increasingly common and beneficial. Other policy tools have had mixed results.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

“Discussions of emerging commodity-exporting markets are often based on ideas with little empirical and analytical support. This book, based on vigorous research, is a great contribution to improving our understanding of these economies. It provides evidence solid empirical evidence, including a long-term perspective on commodity prices. It also contains very in-depth policy analysis, with implications for resilience, macroeconomic policies and development strategies. It will be a key reference for academics as well as policy makers.

— José De Gregorio, Dean of the School of Economics and Business at the University of Chile, former Minister of Economy, Mines and Energy and Governor of the Central Bank of Chile

“Commodity Markets: Evolution Challenges and Policies is an in-depth analysis of just about everything you’ve ever wanted to know about commodity markets. It covers a wide range of commodity prices and production (primarily l energy, metals and agricultural commodities) last century, carefully documenting and rigorously analyzing the significant difference in experiences between different commodity groups It is comprehensive in its historical coverage but also addresses contemporary issues such as a insightful analysis of the impact of the COVID19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on commodity prices.It highlights the impact of shocks, technology and policies as drivers of demand and supply for a range of different products. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the drivers of product pricing and production. s baseline over the past century and the implications for future trends.”

–Warwick McKibbin, Emeritus Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Director of the Center for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Director of Policy Engagement at the Australian Research Center of Excellence in Population Aging Research, Australian National University

“A good understanding of commodity markets is more essential than ever in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This volume offers an excellent, comprehensive analysis It carefully examines historical and likely future trends in commodity supply, demand and prices, and offers detailed policy proposals to avoid the havoc that turbulent commodity markets can wreak. to the economies of commodity exporters and importers.”

— Rick Van der Ploeg, Research Director, Oxford Center for the Analysis of Resource-Rich Economies, University of Oxford

“Commodity prices tend to be viewed as an aggregate, especially when they periodically move together. While these aggregate movements are important, this excellent and well-researched book emphasizes the heterogeneity of commodity markets. and the different economic forces acting on them. Heterogeneity calls for differentiated and tailored policy tools that take into account the specificities of markets, a message that analysts and policymakers would do well to heed.”

— Ravi Kanbur, TH Lee Professor of World Affairs, International Professor of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University

“Commodity markets are complex and constantly changing. This insightful and well-structured study of all the ins and outs of commodity markets is a valuable addition to the literature for understanding how these markets work and their impacts on the economy. world economy.As the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have substantial impacts on commodity prices and supply chains, this incredibly timely study offers analysts and policymakers a solid basis for making better forecasts and developing more effective policy responses.

— Abdolreza Abbassian, former Senior FAO Economist and G20-AMIS Secretary

“While many African countries have been spared the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, their economies have suffered from the collapse in commodity prices. Since then, the war in Ukraine has affected developing countries to thousands of miles away as oil, gas and food prices have Not only are commodity markets feeling the impact of global shocks, but they are transmitting them to commodity-dependent countries around the world. This book lucidly explains how these shocks affect commodity markets and, in turn, how fluctuations in these markets affect developing economies.As the world grapples with climate change and the energy transition, these findings will become even more important.”

— Shanta Devarajan, Professor of International Development Practice, Georgetown University

“Commodity markets: evolution, challenges and policies will provide the JP Morgan Center for Commodities with the comprehensive manual we’ve always wanted to write. Currently, the vast majority of commodity-related textbooks are dominated by trading issues, with limited emphasis on market fundamentals. As a result, our instructors typically draw on a wide range of articles, book chapters, and case studies for their respective courses. By providing comprehensive and detailed coverage of these issues, this book fills a major gap in the literature.”

— Tom Brady, Executive Director, JP Morgan Center for Commodities, University of Colorado Denver

“I wish I had this book earlier in my career! Commodity markets: evolution, challenges and policies provides an insightful analysis of the dynamics of commodity markets and their implications for the wider economy. A must read for anyone interested in commodity markets.”

— Xiaoli Etienne, Associate Professor and Idaho Wheat Board Endowed Chair in Commodity Risk Management, University of Idaho

OTHER BOOKS ON THE WORLD ECONOMY

A decade after the global recession (20/11/19)

Global productivity: trends, drivers and policies (04/07/20)

Inflation in Emerging and Developing Economies (07/11/18)

The long shadow of informality: challenges and policies (5/11/21)

Global Waves of Debt: Causes and Consequences (19/12/19)

Banks see strong pick-up in overseas loan portfolio growth in FY22

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

Bombay : State-owned banks have seen a strong rebound in their international loan portfolio over the past fiscal year after several quarters of what can be described as sluggish growth due to covid-19.

The latest data showed that a large number of banks increased their exposure to domestic companies in the overseas market in the fiscal year ended March 31, while others participated in overseas lending operations. to foreign companies.

Bank of Baroda (BoB) saw a 21.2% increase in its international loan portfolio in FY22, driven by increased participation in syndication deals in the United States and Australia. Previously, the bank dealt more with trade finance, which has now shifted to long-term lending as it offers a higher margin. BoB’s international loan portfolio represented 16.37% of its total loan portfolio or ₹1.33 trillion last year, up from 14.7% or ₹1.10 trillion in FY21, and 17% or ₹1.27 trillion in FY20. BoB has 46 branches or offices in 14 countries, including an offshore unit in the city of GIFT in Gujarat.

“Since the start of FY22, our focus has been on increasing ECB lending and expanding the share of non-Indian companies in the total credit portfolio. We have solicited major syndication deals in the primary and secondary markets. Consequently, ECB lending has increased and non-Indian syndicated lending has also increased overall,” said Debadatta Chand, Executive Director of BoB.

The State Bank of India (SBI) also saw a 15% rise in its international loan portfolio after increasing its exposure to local loans to Indian business and trade finance. The international loan portfolio increased to 14.6% of the total loan portfolio or ₹4.11 trillion at the end of March, compared to 14.05% or ₹3.56 trillion the previous year. SBI is present in major countries like USA, UK, Hong Kong, Australia and Germany. The bank has also forged links with fintech and e-commerce platforms to boost remittances and trade finance activities respectively.

“We have grown in local lending, meaning lending to Indian businesses, as well as in trade finance, which includes supply chain and factories. We have reduced the growth of external commercial borrowing,” said Ashwini Tiwari, Managing Director of SBI.

Private lender ICICI Bank, which has exposure to the US, UK and Canada, also saw its international loan book increase slightly to 8.8% of the total loan book in ₹80,986 crores at the end of March, against 79,180 crores a year earlier.

While growth was in double digits last year due to favorable conditions such as the interest rate scenario and the appreciation of the dollar, banks do not expect the same momentum to continue. With deteriorating liquidity conditions in financial markets due to rising risks from the Russian-Ukrainian war, monetary tightening and high inflation, Indian banks may need to look for other opportunities to ensure their margins stay healthy.

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Interview: Bill Gates talks with Recode about his new book, philanthropy, public health

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

The WHO estimates that the Covid-19 pandemic has killed nearly 15 million people worldwide – not just from the virus, but as an indirect consequence of the crisis, such as the inability to obtain other types of medical care because hospital systems were overloaded. But it shouldn’t be so catastrophic. Experts say its impacts have been exacerbated by a number of factors: the world was ill-prepared for a pandemic, many countries were slow to develop and provide access to Covid-19 testing, and economic inequality has all aggravated.

Low- and middle-income countries still struggle to access life-saving vaccines, putting these populations at continued risk of contracting the virus. In the United States, a preprint article found that working-class Americans were five times more likely to die from Covid-19 than college-educated Americans. Overall, the pandemic has also widened income inequality around the world, in part because rich countries have been able to provide more economic relief to their residents, while poorer countries have had far less. tools to recover.

Two years after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, Bill Gates wrote How to prevent the next pandemic, a book that explains how the co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and global health expert believes the world should prepare for future health crises – including how we can tackle the persistent problem of economic inequality that exposes the already vulnerable people at even greater risk. In the United States, poverty rates fell in 2021 due to pandemic relief spending like stimulus checks and the expansion of the child tax credit. But since then, poverty has risen again, with child poverty rates rising sharply after the expiry of the expanded child tax credit, which gave many parents a monthly cash benefit from July to December 2021.

Here are five ideas Gates explored with Recode over email on how to take economic inequality into account when preparing for the next pandemic. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Whizz Kim

In your book, you mention how people are wary of the big influence wealthy philanthropists have today – while also acknowledging that many governments didn’t step up enough when the pandemic hit.

How can we ensure that the government will be able to intervene next time? Do you think it’s mostly about funding good agencies (and would that require higher taxes)? Is it a question of political will? Is it something else?

Bill Gates

I hope that after the past two years – with millions of lives lost and trillions of dollars in economic impact – every country now understands that they need to be better prepared at the government level. Philanthropy can help test new ideas and mobilize resources faster than government, but pandemic prevention needs long-term funding and support, and it requires global collaboration. The world cannot and should not rely on philanthropy to direct this.

In my book, I write that governments must prepare for epidemics and prevent pandemics the same way they fund preventive measures and practice fires and earthquakes. To end preventable diseases and prevent emerging diseases from becoming pandemics, governments will need to increase their investments in R&D for vaccines and therapies, integrated disease surveillance, and well-funded multilateral organizations, such as the World Health Organization. health (WHO). They will also need to make greater investments to improve primary health care in all countries.

The natural place for government funding is the WHO, since it was created to coordinate the global response to health issues. Philanthropy cannot be a voting member of the WHO. It is up to each member country to decide that the WHO should focus on pandemic prevention. But right now, the WHO isn’t funded to do much work on pandemics. There are not many full-time staff. It does not require countries to go through exercises. This must change if the world is serious about making Covid the last pandemic.

Whizz Kim

Do you think there will always be a need and space for private philanthropy to co-exist with governments? What, if anything, needs to change in the relationship between the private and public sectors? How can we get there? Who should change it?

Bill Gates

Governments play the most critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and other serious health risks. But I believe that philanthropy has a role to play – for example, we can fund initiatives that governments or the private sector cannot or do not want. Most global health problems, like malaria, must be solved outside of traditional market-based systems because they will never be profitable for the private sector. During the Covid pandemic, a global collaboration between scientists, philanthropists and global health institutions (like the ACT Accelerator) has developed, tested and deployed safe and effective vaccines faster than ever. It’s a great example of how the three sectors can work together to solve these big problems.

Whizz Kim

How might public policy need to change so that we are better prepared for the next pandemic, and what role do you see billionaires/other wealthy philanthropists playing in this?

Bill Gates

One of the greatest tragedies the world has learned from Covid is that governments have not invested enough in the tools they need to effectively prepare for a pandemic. Countries need to step up and develop policies and invest more in improving disease surveillance, funding R&D and strengthening health systems. What I’m trying to do, and the foundation is trying to do, is to help catalyze new ideas, especially those that will help bring equitable access to lifesaving tools to people in low-income countries. income, who are often left behind as new health innovations arrive. at the market. We also play a role in attracting the private sector by helping companies secure funding to produce tests, therapies and vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

Whizz Kim

Public discourse around Covid-19 has been extremely polarized and politicized. What are your thoughts on the role that misinformation versus good, reliable information plays in public health outcomes?

Bill Gates

I am concerned about the spread of public health misinformation and conspiracy theories because it causes people to question their own doctors and question science. It’s understandable that people are looking for easy answers, because those two years have been very scary. And I think most people are worried about their own health and the health of their families and loved ones. They come from the right place, but they are attracted by false information.

Whizz Kim

What role would you say economic inequality plays in disease outcome? This has hampered access to vaccines and medicines in low- to middle-income countries, but we have seen even in the United States that black and brown communities have been among the hardest hit by Covid-19.

How to ensure that economic inequality is not such a big factor in surviving the next pandemic?

Bill Gates

Melinda and I started the Gates Foundation over two decades ago because we were horrified by health inequalities around the world. There has been phenomenal progress since then, but even today a child born in Nigeria is about 28 times more likely to die before their 5th birthday than a child born in the United States.

When Covid emerged, these existing health inequalities helped it become a global disaster. In my book, I offer a plan that includes three key steps. First, we must improve disease surveillance by developing early warning systems that detect novel viruses and coordinated outbreaks across borders, and the world must support the GERM team, a full-time paid group engaged in pandemic prevention. [Editor’s note: The Global Epidemic Response and Mobilization team is a permanent disease outbreak watchdog group that Gates’s book proposes we create.]

Second, we need to invest more in R&D for next-generation vaccines and effective treatments, and secure manufacturing capacity in every region of the world. And we need to strengthen global health systems by investing in primary health care, especially in low- and middle-income countries, but also in low-income communities in rich countries.

There are programs that focus on equitable health outcomes, such as the Global Fund and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Gavi, the Global Financing Facility and CEPI. Full funding of these organizations would have a significant impact on global health equity. [Editor’s note: These are all global health programs that the Gates Foundation has funded. The Global Fund is a public-private partnership that finances the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a WHO-led public-private partnership that seeks to immunize all children at risk for polio. Gavi is a public-private partnership that strives to improve vaccine access in low-income countries. The Global Financing Facility is a World Bank-led public-private partnership that focuses on promoting the health and nutrition of women and children. And CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, is a public-private partnership that invests in vaccine research.]

RJ Palacio on his heartbreaking graphic novel “White Bird”

By
Jennifer E. Sibley
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0

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