All posts tagged: good

What Good is Great Literature?

What Good is Great Literature?

Published by skeptic

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. What Good is Great Literature? On Literature Nobel Eve, AO Scott’s column on what is so great about greatness anyway uses as its only example….a movie. Scott’s long-tenture as a movie critic makes this a little less surprising but no less strange. Because if there were a Nobel for movies, then there is a very, very good chance that Francis Ford Coppola, director of Megalopolis, would have one. Still, there is a piece here that got me thinking: “In our more cynical, more quantified time, money and celebrity are part of the substance of greatness. We prefer the indisputable, measurable achievements of pop stars and athletes to more nebulous judgments of cultural importance. Surely no one can argue — though I guess people will — that Simone Biles or Serena Williams is overrated, or that Taylor Swift doesn’t …

The three big changes I made to get rid of my shoulder stiffness for good

The three big changes I made to get rid of my shoulder stiffness for good

Published by skeptic

Since I started working from home five days a week, I’ve noticed that I’ve developed stiff and achy muscles, especially around my shoulders and upper back. Several health professionals have attributed this to spending too much time hunched over my laptop. While building a healthy workspace is one solution, my flat is too small for a desk chair so I’m stuck working at the kitchen table. As a result, I’m focusing on the other things I can do to keep my shoulders mobile and healthy. I’ve made three changes that don’t involve investing in ergonomic office equipment or quitting my nine-to-five. Although I don’t know exactly which method has been most effective at reducing my shoulder pain, I know the stiffness I experience has alleviated. 1. I invested in a shoulder massage device Previously, the only way to ease the persistent knot in my shoulder was to have a massage, which wasn’t a sustainable solution financially or practically. That’s why I was excited to try the Hyperice Venom 2 shoulder device at home. It’s a …

Kamala Harris Hits L.A. for Star-Studded Fundraiser: ‘Good to Be Home’

Kamala Harris Hits L.A. for Star-Studded Fundraiser: ‘Good to Be Home’

Published by skeptic

Kamala Harris‘ presidential campaign rolled into Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, marking her first major fundraiser in the city and bringing along a starry group of supporters. The vice president hosted an afternoon event at the J.W. Marriott in downtown Los Angeles, with a lineup of celebrity speakers and guests that included Stevie Wonder, Sterling K. Brown, Lily Tomlin, Demi Lovato, Keegan-Michael Key and Jessica Alba; Alanis Morissette and Halle Bailey also performed during the fundraiser. Inside the event — press was only allowed in for Harris’ remarks — the presidential candidate took the stage to Beyoncé’s hit song “Freedom,” alongside an announcer declaring, “please welcome our next president of the United States” to a standing ovation from the crowd. “Oh, it’s good to be home,” Harris responded to the applause; though she grew up in Oakland, she has deep ties to Los Angeles, still owning a home in Brentwood with her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Harris shouted out the longtime support she’s gotten from the city in her long political career, noting, “I …

It’s so hard to leave a good embryo in a freezer – I should know, mine’s stranded in Russia

It’s so hard to leave a good embryo in a freezer – I should know, mine’s stranded in Russia

Published by skeptic

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more I have a frozen embryo stored on ice in a fertility clinic in St Petersburg, Russia. She – and, yes, I know her gender – has been in the freezer for six years. I’ve even given her a name: Talulah. She’s the unborn child I will probably never have; a potential sibling for my daughters Lola, eight, and Liberty, six. I have absolutely no idea what to do with her. I could just bury my head in the sand – the clinic in Russia hasn’t emailed me storage charges in years, so that’d be easy to do. I could send a courier to collect her, but that’s a bit fraught due to the war. Sometimes I wonder where she is, and what – if …

Production Halted on GOOD OMENS Season 3 Amid Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Neil Gaiman

Production Halted on GOOD OMENS Season 3 Amid Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Neil Gaiman

Published by skeptic

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. ‘Good Omens’: Production Paused On Amazon Drama From Neil Gaiman Good Omens, both the show and the book, is a crown-jewel in the Gaiman-verse. And so news that that season three of the show has shut down amidst mounting accusations against Gaiman are a sign that not only is this story not going away, but rather snow-balling. This Deadline piece notes that “changes to production” are being discussed to get rolling again. Take Gaiman’s name off as whatever he is being credit as for it? Some sort of PR campaign? The series has really turned into a Sheen-Tennant showcase more than a Gaiman project (we are well beyond the events in the book at this point), so maybe there is enough non-Gaiman here for the series to continue. Nickel Boys Trailer Debuts I think The Nickel Boys is …

Licking an ice lolly at school might make a good memory – but this isn’t the secret to learning science

Licking an ice lolly at school might make a good memory – but this isn’t the secret to learning science

Published by skeptic

A group of scientists, including people from the Royal Society of Chemistry, recently proposed that experiences such as licking an ice lolly should be part of the science curriculum. By licking a lolly and seeing how it melts – the idea goes – children would better learn about melting, and therefore about chemistry and physics. But does licking a lolly, or experiences such as kneading dough, playing with shadows or digging in soil, actually help pupils to learn science? Deploying examples and demonstrations in the classroom can be a helpful gateway towards deeper understanding, but it’s not a shortcut to knowledge. The idea of learning through experiences has a long history. It’s perhaps most closely associated with the work of educator John Dewey in the early 20th century. Dewey and other educators of the time were concerned that an emphasis on rote learning would lead to “inert knowledge”: facts that students wouldn’t be able to apply to the real world. An experience like licking a lolly may at least be memorable – especially if you’d …

Megan Rapinoe on Getting Her Jersey Retired: “I Can Still Feel Myself Out There. We Had Some Good Times”

Megan Rapinoe on Getting Her Jersey Retired: “I Can Still Feel Myself Out There. We Had Some Good Times”

Published by skeptic

Megan Rapinoe has always been an intrinsic part of Seattle Reign FC. She spent her entire NWSL career with the club, from their inaugural season in 2013 until her retirement in 2023, and has the most goals in team history. But this Sunday, when her number 15 will be retired at a pre-game ceremony, she officially becomes a permanent fixture of the Reign forevermore. Since playing her final game last November, Rapinoe has stayed busy by starting a podcast with her fiance Sue Bird and has remained in the US Women’s National Team’s orbit. During Team USA’s various gold-medal romps through Paris, Rapinoe and Bird were perched on the sideline at both soccer and basketball games, often alongside Lauren Holiday, who is the only other player in history to have their jersey retired by an NWSL team. At 39, Rapinoe is nearly 20 years older than some current members of the USWNT, but tells GQ she found some youthful energy now that she’s free from early-morning training sessions. Before flying back to the Pacific Northwest …

Charitable nature: how a group of birdwatchers took fundraising for Macmillan to the skies | Get Together For Good

Charitable nature: how a group of birdwatchers took fundraising for Macmillan to the skies | Get Together For Good

Published by skeptic

Arriving at a Flock Together meetup, you instantly know you’re in good hands. “This is the ultimate safe space,” says organiser Ollie Olanipekun, welcoming the 120 or so attendees to today’s walk at Trent Country Park in Enfield, London. Binoculars are handed out for those who don’t have them, as are raincoats, and people chat so enthusiastically that Olanipekun has to speak up to be heard. Flock Together is a black-led birdwatching collective that runs monthly walks in and around London to help foster connections with the outdoors and bring people of colour together. Olanipekun explains that nature has had a profound impact on his mental health. “I have ADHD so my mind is super active. When I was introduced to nature, and specifically birdwatching, it was the only place I felt absolute peace.” Knowing that mental health can be a taboo topic in black communities and other communities of colour, Olanipekun and co-founder Nadeem Perera saw a chance to help. In 2020, Flock Together was born. Previous walks have included trips to Brighton, to …

Trump and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month – podcast | Politics

Trump and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month – podcast | Politics

Published by skeptic

Not so long ago, Donald Trump was riding high in the polls; the mood music was positive for his presidential campaign. Then Joe Biden dropped out of the race. After months of campaigning against his old foe, Trump now seems to be missing him and struggling to come up with a fresh attack against his new opponent, Kamala Harris. This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Susan Glasser of the New Yorker about Trump’s challenges as he tries to turn things around after a less than stellar month on the campaign How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know Source link

Good Morning Britain’s Richard Madeley told off by bosses as he threatens to walk-off

Good Morning Britain’s Richard Madeley told off by bosses as he threatens to walk-off

Published by Sam

Tensions rose on Good Morning Britain when co-host Richard Madeley was given a stern telling-off by ITV chiefs. The moment unfolded as Olympic silver medallist Daryll Neita joined Madeley and fellow presenter Kate Garraway on the programme. An eager Richard exclaimed: “Let’s see it!”, in reference to the medal. Daryll happily responded, “Do you want to put it on?”, which led to an excited Richard asking: “Can I?!” while Kate chimed in with support: “Oh wow, go on! So exciting. You go for it.” As they admired the medal, Richard pondered how to wear it correctly, then proceeded with the interview. However, he soon revealed: “Oh, apparently I’ve got to hand it back. Why have I got to hand it back?!” Garraway firmly stated: “You’ve got to hand it back because we want to see her wearing it!”, reports the Mirror. Richard retorted: “Well she offered! I didn’t take it off her, I didn’t nick it.” To which Kate affirmed: “We won’t steal it, but we want to have the image of her with her …