Readers of the New York Times have responded to its articles through letters to the editor. Connie Wu of San Francisco wrote that the use of the English name Connie derived from the influence of Connie Chung, an American journalist for whom many Asian women have been named; Anne Toohey of Chapel Hill described the surprised look on the face of Connie Chung when she learned how many women had been named
after her; Professor Laycock of Charlottesville argued against using the debt limit as a political tool; and David S. Elkind of Greenwich, Connecticut, criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ attempts to limit free speech.
The presence of older actors at Cannes Film Festival 2023 is evidence that familiarity counts for more than age when it comes to film star popularity and and box office sales, according to a National Research Group survey. It found the average age of the top 20 actors who viewers would pay to see in theatres was 58, with only one actor being under 40. The oldest stars often have a bigger appeal for audiences compared to younger actors, regardless of declining physical appearance and age. Potential star talent for Cannes in 2023 include Tye Sheridan, Talia Ryder, Lily Gladstone, Charles Melton and Lily-Rose Depp.
Russian soldiers fighting on the front line in Ukraine are suffering, and with rising casualty rates, Putin is paying a high price for his decision to invade. The Russian Army moved into the Crimea in February 2014, and fighting began with Ukrainian forces in the Donbas that April. The casual factors that Putin has been successful in hiding until now are becoming readily apparent, and a peace recessions looks like it would probably result in Putin's forced military collapse. It is thought that the reasons Putin would not want a ceasefire are that it would confirm the values of the international order, which he loathes, and second, would make it difficult for him to expand his military objectives in fighting in Syria, where he supports President Assad.
Amy Lehpamer, actress and singer, who will be playing Anne Hathaway in the jukebox musical & Juliet reflects on what advice Shakespeare’s wife would give to a novice nun like the Sound of Music’s Fraulein Maria. She also talks about the show's premise, which gives Juliet a chance to write her own story. Lehpamer describes the music as “part of your break-ups, that first love, that school camp" and says the show is an all-encompassing experience. Regent Theatre Melbourne will host & Juliet until 29 July.
Readers of The Sydney Morning Herald have voiced their concerns on the country's housing problem, proposing quick and effective solutions. One reader highlights that the tax system needs to be reformed so that it makes it as cost-effective for owner-occupiers to buy houses as investors. Another mentioned the social isolation caused by rapid suburbanisation, creating cheap housing that is ultimately miles away from the city centre. Premier Chris Minns will offer his ministers a solution to find vacant blocks of public land to rezone for housing, reversing the falling supply of new homes in New South Wales.
Pierce Brosnan has debuted his first solo art exhibition – a collection of paintings and drawings titled "So Many Dreams", which he created between the 1980s and present day. Brosnan began painting as a young boy living in Ireland and resumed the hobby in 1987, when his late wife, Cassandra Harris, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Brosnan has kept his first painting in the exhibit as the painting was created by touching the paint with his fingers while his wife recovered from chemotherapy treatment.
Coralee Cusack-Smith, a mother of two whose campaign to reform Canada’s correctional system after the death of her daughter Ashley Smith, has died aged 75. Ashley Smith’s death, deemed a homicide by a coroner’s inquest, occurred while she was in custody at the age of 19. Smith had been in custody for almost four years and spent more than 1,000 days in solitary confinement following misbehavior whilst at school. Her mother fought for reforms to the use of solitary confinement and was also vocal on issues including inhumane treatment and a lack of mental health support in prisons.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued new recommendations on how government-run public schools should help combat America’s childhood obesity epidemic. The recommendation sparked outrage with some critics saying that it takes decision-making power from parents and gives it to unelected, unaccountable administrators. The AAP’s guidelines call for a “whole child” approach to solving obesity, which would place all medical records, access to healthcare, and social services within each k-12 school. The AAP recognises that many issues that contribute to weight gain—from divorced or single-parent homes, fast food heavy diets in the car, financial stress, to cultural habits, but calls for medical interventions and school-based care. The family is relegated to the fourth position in how effective “whole-child” healthcare can be provided. The days of nutrition, exercise, and educating parents on healthy nutrition are long gone, instead, families play an observant role, supporting the primary work of the school in caring for their children.
Civil rights organizations that truly care about black lives should focus on promoting stronger families instead of pushing abortion on demand, according to a report in The Federalist. The piece argues that, despite the high levels of abortion among black women, reproductive rights activists and progressive figures do not discuss the issue because such groups believe systemic factors cause inequality, rather than individual decisions.
A proposed law that would make it illegal for a physician to perform an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected has been submitted to the Nebraska state legislature by pro-life state senator Merv Riepe. Riepe backed the Nebraska Heartbeat Act, and has introduced an amendment that would lower the existing ban from 20 weeks to 12, rather than his original proposal for a six-week limit. The bill has ignited a debate about when life should be protected; several states, including Illinois and New York, have removed restrictions on abortion, leading to some US Democrats lobbying for federal legislation to remove abortion restrictions after fetal viability.
Weighing up the pros and cons of ending or continuing a relationship does not work because the decision cannot be summed up in tangible outcomes alone, according to Sydney-based writer Kasey Edwards. Instead, if unsure of whether to end a relationship, she asks herself two questions: “Do I feel emotionally safe with this person?” and “Do I still enjoy their company?” If the answers to both are “yes”, the relationship is valuable; if not, it’s time to sever ties.
Disney is removing at least 40 titles from its Disney Plus and Hulu streaming platforms in an effort to cut costs, angering fans and subscribers. Shows to be culled include Willow, Dollface, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Disney Plus has lost four million subscribers in the first three months of 2023 and chief financial officer Christine McCarthy announced a writedown of $1.5bn (£1.2bn) to $1.8bn (£1.4bn) as a result of removing the content. Fans were shocked to learn that the culling of titles from the platform was occurring so soon.
Prince Harry's quest for privacy may be in direct conflict with his wife's apparent desire for fame, causing a chasm between them. This week the couple claimed they had been "involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi" in New York. The Duke moved to the US to escape media intrusion, and is already trying to reform the British press in his late mother's memory. He is currently waging four separate legal battles against three different newspaper groups over illegal information gathering, phone hacking, and a story he claims to be libellous. While fully supportive of Harry, the media-savvy Duchess let it be known she raised gentle concerns about whether his activism was the right move. As a source said at the time, "Is this the way she would have approached things? Possibly not. But she will always back him and would never have got involved in promoting such a personal project. This was about his own life, his own journey and his own perspective." Nonetheless, the couple seems to be heading in opposite directions – with Meghan looking forward while Harry dwells on the past.
‘Pierre Poilievre has decided to pander … leaving those of us disgusted by Justin Trudeau without a clear option.’ Conservative contrarians, plus other letters to the editor for May 19
Canadians must seek to protect their country from the violence and division that has become rife in America, according to a letter in the Globe and Mail. The missive’s writer, expat Don Gayton, wrote that Canada should attempt to understand the causes of the problems in the US so that the twin issues of violence and division do not come north over the border. In related comments, other respondents noted the gun laws which enable violence south of the border but are not in place in Canada, a division of political opinion which has no bearing on geography and a surge in anger in the right-wing conservative movement.
Netherlands to ban inland vessels from discharging toxic fumes
Reuters
23-05-19 06:51
The Netherlands will ban inland vessels from releasing toxic fumes from July 2024, in a move to protect public health. The ban covers in total seven different substances, including carcinogenic benzene, gasoline and mixtures of petroleum and benzene. The decision follows research by Erasmus University Rotterdam, which claimed floating degassing had negative impacts on human rights. The decision to ban such emissions was agreed by countries along the river Rhine in 2017 while sailing. The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg have ratified the convention, while Germany and France have not.
Lewis Capaldi's second album, entitled “Monster,” features 12 tracks which are big, weepie ballads about relationship struggles as if trying to craft one perfect ballad from the depths of his soul. The album features long, drawn-out minutes of despair, with Capaldi's downbeat lyrics and sorrowful tone making up the majority of the mood of the album. Despite this, Capaldi’s still in his early twenties and is already becoming a major figure within the music industry. Regardless of its content, the album is worth a listen, and Capaldi's talent is undisputed, with electronic touches furthering his balladry.
Austrian actor Helmut Berger has died at the age of 78 at his home in Salzburg. Known for his intense performances and ability to charm audiences with subtle gestures, Berger was an icon in European cinema and a frequent collaborator with Italian master director Luchino Visconti. Berger appeared in three of Visconti's films, including his breakout performance in the operatic drama The Damned in which he played the psychotic grandson of a German industrial family. Berger appeared in 70 films and television shows throughout his career; in later years, he struggled with addiction and alcoholism. Berger, who was bisexual, was the subject of photography by Andy Warhol and was once named "the most beautiful man in the world" by the German press. He is survived by his estranged wife, Italian actress Francesca Guidato.
Musician Tom Speight has discussed the impact of Crohn's disease on his life, as World Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Day was marked this week. The artist was diagnosed with the condition, which causes severe inflammation in the gut, 15 years ago and underwent surgery and stoma connection to remove affected tissue. For World Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Day, Speight de-bunked ten misconceptions around living with a stoma, which many people require after surgery to remove pelvic area cancers or for inflammatory bowel diseases. These include that sexual function is affected, that swimming is impossible, that the operation is restricted to elderly people and that physical exercise is dangerous.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has been "critically" exposed to cyberattacks since 2019, which could threaten train safety, according to a watchdog report. The report also claims the transit authority had failed to address 50 of the cybersecurity recommendations offered to it by oversight agencies. WMATA was hacked by a computer in Russia this year, the watchdog found, and has employed Russia-based IT workers. The vulnerability of transit systems to cyberattacks is well known, with transit agencies said to have the weakest cybersecurity when compared to other major sectors. There have been calls for the WMATA to beef up its cybersecurity in the wake of declining ridership during the Covid-19 pandemic and a shift towards the use of mobile fare cards and remote train piloting technology.
Is a new online university a cure for what ails the humanities?
The Globe and Mail
23-05-19 11:00
A Wellesley College Professor is set to open Ontario's first dedicated online university for the humanities. The institution, namedThe Humanities Digital Degrees Project, will teach English or French literature, history and philosophy and rely heavily on reading rather than video lectures. Despite being fully online, the university will not use videotaped lectures, instead focusing on extensively annotated texts and grading based on term papers and streamed presentations. The school aims to provide a rigorous education on a global scale to those highly literate enough to gain admittance. The cost of tuition will be around $5,000 a year.
