Author: Editor

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Resort Aquatica transports readers to tropical paradise full of deadly secrets

NORFOLK, Va. — Calvin Banks had a privileged life laid out neatly in front of him: one that would feature incredible wealth, just like his billionaire father’s. Yet those plans are dashed when he drunkenly totals his Lamborghini and cuts his girlfriend’s life short in one fell swoop.

 

In Resort Aquatica, Frederic Lee brings glamorous characters and an even more immaculate underwater oasis to life. This enthralling debut explores themes of power, corruption, secrets and survival.

 

In a scheme to outrun justice, Calvin breaks court orders and sets off for an island resort pocketed within the mystical angles of the Bermuda Triangle. The magnificent Resort Aquatica is an ideal tropical destination built of white marble that rises up in tubular stacks amid the neon seascape.

 

Upon arrival, Calvin encounters Resort Aquatica’s rich and savvy owner, Eve Rampant, who clearly exploits her bigwig guests and poor workers for the sole purpose of profit. Eve lords over the palatial estate heavy-handedly, yet with a beautiful smiling face and the assistance of her five obedient daughters.
To Calvin’s awe, he discovers that the Rampant women are devious mermaids who naturally spring up from the seas on temporary legs each summer. Then, out of nowhere, Calvin finds himself entangled in a binding contract cooked up by Eve that forces him to serve the whims of the Rampant women for decades to come — and keep his mouth shut about their scaly secret. Can Calvin find a way to free himself from this contract and escape Resort Aquatica?

 

“My book offers a fresh take on mermaids, presented in a tropical fantasy adventure full of deadly secrets, romance and deceit,” Lee said. “It’s the perfect literary escape!”

 

About the Author

Frederic Lee is an author and journalist for the Financial Times. Previously, he was a policy reporter in Washington D.C., where he interviewed many notable members of Congress, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz. Lee graduated from the University of Virginia, where he was trained by writers who hold high accolades, including Emmy Award winners. Resort Aquatica is his first book. He is currently working on his next book, The Last Mermaid Queen, a prequel to Resort Aquatica.

 

Connect with Lee on Instagram (@fredericlee360) and TikTok (@freddielikesbooks), or visit his website at https://fredericlee.wordpress.com/.

 

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Resort-Aquatica-Frederic-Lee/dp/B0BTSKVJ6N/

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Farewell Services

Mark Goddard, ‘Lost in Space’ star, dies at 87

Mark Goddard, known for playing Major Don West on the CBS series “Lost in Space,” died in Hingham, Mass. on Oct. 10 of pulmonary fibrosis. He was 87.

 

In statement posted to Facebook, Goddard’s wife, Evelyn Pezzulich, confirmed that the actor was hospitalized with pneumonia and then transferred to a rehabilitation center, where the doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis.

 

Goddard’s “Lost in Space” costar Bill Mumy also confirmed his death in a Facebook statement: “R.I.P. to Mark Goddard. A truly beloved friend and brother to me for 59 years. I knew this was coming for the past few months. Shortly after a great phone chat he and I had on his 87th birthday in late July, I became aware that I would most likely never see or speak with him again. The last words we exchanged were ‘I love you.’”

 

“Lost in Space,” created and produced by Irwin Allen, lasted for three seasons and spanned 83 episodes from 1965 to 1968. The series followed the Robinson family, space colonists aboard the Jupiter 2. The ship was piloted by Goddard’s character Major Don West. His character was played by Matt LeBlanc in the 1998 feature adaptation and Ignacio Serricchio in Netflix’s recent reboot of the series.

 

“Mark was a truly fine actor. Naturally gifted as well as trained. I know he sometimes felt constricted by the campy frame that ‘LIS’ constrained him within, but he also embraced and loved it,” Mumy continued in his statement.

 

Born July 24, 1936 as Charles Harvey, Goddard was raised in the coastal town of Scituate, Mass. He attended Holy Cross but left in 1958, his junior year of college, to pursue acting.

 

He went on to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before moving to Hollywood in 1959, where he appeared in Four Star Television projects “The Rifleman” and TV movie “Woman on the Run,” starring Joan Crawford and directed by Dick Powell. He continued working on Four Star projects, taking on roles in “Johnny Ringo” and “The Detectives.” After appearing on episodes of numerous other TV shows, Goddard then joined “Lost in Space.”

 

During his time on “Lost in Space,” Goddard also appeared in films “The Monkey’s Uncle” and “A Rage to Live” in 1965, as well as “The Love-Ins” in 1967. Following the series ending, Goddard went on to work on soap operas “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital” and was featured in the 1977 film “Blue Sunshine.”

 

After completing his college education and earning a master’s degree, Goddard taught children with special educational needs for over 20 years in Massachusetts.

 

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and daughter, producer Melissa Goddard.

 

 

— Variety

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Art & Life Culture International & World Lifestyle

Artist Spotlight: Molly Burch inspired, dreamy album features her soaring vocals to express relatable music

The first lyric on Daydreamer might be its best. “I don’t wanna waste my time again obsessing ‘bout how nothing fits,” indie rocker Molly Burch sings on the string-heavy ‘Made of Glass.’ This lyric, and others like it that jumped out when listening to her fourth album, are astoundingly tuned-in to the angst, loneliness, and sometimes endless yearning all young people can relate to.

 

“I’m so fragile, it’s not even funny,” she sings on the same song; “I’ve fallen out of love with myself” on synthpop lead single ‘Physical;’ “I chase the feeling of being your favorite” on the jangly, upbeat ‘Unconditional.’

 

Armed with inspirations ranging from Kate Bush to Ariana Grande — which was surprising at first, but after hearing her cover ‘needy’ on tour, it totally fits — Burch uses her soaring vocals amidst lush arenas of sound to create an ethereal and dreamy album.

 

We caught up with Molly Burch for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight series to talk about the process of recording, her relationship to the music industry, and the relatability of her lyricism.

 

There’s this really entrancing quality to the record — your vocals soar in the realm of Kate Bush and they’re backed by this lushness of chamber pop. Who were some of your inspirations for this record, either with writing or its sound?

 

I love Kate Bush so much. Such a compliment. With this, sonically, Jack [Tatum] and I listened to a lot of city pop and 80s music. We both really wanted strings and horns, and really lush instrumentation. I think he did a really great job of like the balance of synths, but also a lot of natural sounds. And for vocal inspiration, I always have Ariana Grande on my playlists. It’s always like a mix of modern pop, lots of Madonna, ’80s throwbacks.

 

When I was listening to Daydreamer for the first time, the word that kept coming to me was ‘astute.’ There are so many good observations and snappy lyrics about life, anxiety, and the self. I wanted to ask about your writing process — are you a sit-down thinker, or does stuff come to you in the middle of the day that you hurry to jot down?

 

That’s so nice. I kind of struggled my whole career with confidence with my writing. And because I always sort of see myself as a vocalist, like, that’s my instrument. And I took a while to get the confidence to write songs. And I really didn’t until my first album, Please Be Mine. My last album, Romantic Images, I was so focused on the sonic shift, I did want the production to be more clean and more pop. And this album, I was more focused on writing and lyrics. I also took longer to write this album — I started in 2021. So it was more of a year and a half of writing a lot of songs, and being really nitpicky.

 

My process is just yeah, sitting down. I wrote both on the piano and guitar and I’ll basically finish a song: chords, lyrics, pretty much, and then take it to Dailey, who’s my boyfriend and guitarist. We’ll make the demo and flesh out parts and have an idea. And then of course, some of those ideas changed a lot when Jack produced them.

 

In the first track, ‘Made of Glass,’ you talk about the downsides of being a sensitive person, which I can totally relate to. You sing “I’m so fragile it’s not even funny.” Can I ask what inspired this song?

 

This song is totally in the perspective of my 13-year-old self. I just kind of wanted to paint the picture of that angst and that first wave of feelings of insecurities. I really struggled with body dysmorphia: that was sort of when it first started with disordered thinking and eating. I would just stay in my room a lot and just really obsess over getting dressed and not being able to feel okay in my body and feel okay socializing. I still feel a lot of those things today, even though I’m past a lot of it and can mask better. I still will obsess over things not fitting. I just truly wrote that line to just help myself get over that. Because, logically, I know, it’s ridiculous. But that anxiety will really take over a lot, and I can become very obsessive.

You also end with the lyric “I’m made of glass/ And I’ll always be like that.” This finality, this personality trait you just know of yourself — do you think that makes being a sensitive person easier or harder?

 

I think easier. I was always kind of shamed because I’m different in my family — I always feel like my sister and my mom are tougher and I’ve always been called the sensitive one. I always felt so much shame about that, and that I needed to be change to be strong. Over the years, I’ve grown to accept that and love that about myself. I’d rather be extra sensitive and empathetic than rather not. I feel like it’s a strength. I do still feel like I’m fragile, but I’m also very strong.

 

Totally. I’m from a Jewish mother and an Italian father — growing up at family gatherings, all I’d hear is “You’re so quiet!”

 

My mom is Jewish as well, and the first time she met Dailey, she said, “Do you ever talk? Is he mute?” I love them so much, but there’s a lot of big personalities, and as the youngest, I shrunk down.

 

‘Physical’ was the first song I heard on the album, which made me really intrigued. Even though the instrumental is so upbeat, there’s this lyric that sticks out to me: “I guess the pills help/ But they really only make me feel less.” If it’s not too personal, would you mind explaining the meaning behind this lyric?

 

Absolutely. The whole song is really about my struggles with PMS, which goes hand in hand with anxiety, depression, and body issues. I wanted the lyrics to be broad enough so that people who don’t experience that can also relate, with generalized anxiety or something. I started taking anti-anxiety meds for PMS, and it really did help, but I just started feeling less. It didn’t fix everything, just brought everything down. Which can be good, and bad.

 

I also enjoyed it because I took it as a means of sticking up for yourself even when you feel awful, even when you don’t feel like a person. In all of the verses, you describe feeling flat, maybe not even physical, but in the chorus’ ending, you counter: “I’m not the one-dimensional girl of your mind/ I’m a literal woman moving through life.” What was the thought process behind this dichotomy?

 

Yeah, definitely. I wanted the verses to feel more insecure and the chorus to feel powerful, telling someone who doesn’t understand what you’re going through and can write it off. I feel like that happens a lot, with PMS, or periods, like, ‘Oh, you’re just on your period.’ But people don’t really understand that it’s so under researched. Women’s health in general, is just horrific. Nobody cares. And you’re going through so much mental illness during that time. It’s pretty intense. I wanted that line to tell someone off, like, ‘Don’t downplay what I’m going through.’ I have to remind myself of that all the time. Literally every month. I have to go through mental gymnastics of calming myself and saying, “This will pass.”

 

I read that ‘Tattoo’ is an ode to your late friend, and I think it’s a really beautiful song, especially the part where you say you got one of her tattoos in the same spot to remember her by. What does this song mean to you and what was the writing process like?

 

That song was the hardest song for me to write, ever. I’d never taken so long to write a song, and it went through a lot of different forms. I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll write a pop song.’ I wanted to write a song that maybe she would like. I really like where it landed, with the help of Jack’s production. I wanted it to be this ballad, but I did want weird elements. In the chorus, he added this strange ethereal guitar part. I love the ups and downs of it.

 

Basically, one of my best friends passed away in college. She was such an important person, and totally changed my life. I never wanted to write a song about her because it was too personal, but with this album, which is about my relationship to music and how I feel as an artist, she was the first person I played music with and really brought me out of my shell. She was so, so opposite. The only person I feel like I can compare her to is Sinead O’Connor: someone who is so bold and different. I truly feel like there was no one like her. She was so fun and extraverted and had this big orange curly hair, so beautiful. Everyone was drawn to her. I wanted to basically write a letter to her now, and wanted to talk about her and capture her essence and think about what she’d be like now. Part of me thinks she’d have a really hard time with it. She missed social media: that would have made her so anxious. She would have been blocked from everything. She Facebook messaged me a video of her talking out of her vagina. Yeah, she would have been banned on all platforms. That’s the line where it goes: “You wouldn’t believe it/ I think you would hate it.” Pandemic, everything that’s happened… She was so deeply sensitive, I think it would have been too much. That’s something that I tell myself, to make myself feel better, almost, that she would have hated it here and she’s in a better place. It’s definitely a special song to release, and why I wanted it to be a single too.

That’s so beautiful. So ‘Unconditional’ mourns a relationship where you inhabited the ‘giver’ role, and the other person was the “taker,” who was afraid of commitment. What was the turning point for you, of realizing, like, “Hang on. This isn’t benefiting me?”

 

Basically, I was thinking about how I felt being an indie artist in the music business. This feeling really started when the pandemic hit, feeling like I have no control over anything. That’s just how it is in this business — up and down, sometimes you feel good and sometimes you feel horrible. It’s sort of a confident perspective, like, “Hey, I’m great, why don’t you like me?” I just wanted to have fun with it and have some salty, cheeky lines.

 

Let’s talk about ‘Heartburn’, which I think is the most interestingly-produced track on the record. It has nods of city pop with these big, explosive horns. How did this song come to be?

 

Dailey and I were just kinda messing around — the demo is so different, it’s a synthy, much chiller 80s track. I made lyrics afterwards and Jack took it and was really city pop-inspired. It was something he’d always wanted to do, and he sent me a little taste, like, “Do you like this?” Every time he said that, I was like, ‘Go for it!’ It was the first time he completely wrote all these parts for horns and strings, and it was a really cool experience to watch him do that.

 

Even though you start with the incredible lyric, “First time in a while got no man on my mind/ I’d rather chase my dreams on a Saturday night,” on the chorus, you admit that “Heartburn season” always gets the best of you, and you find yourself yearning. What is “heartburn season” and why do you think it’s so powerful?

 

So the title’s a nod to Nora Ephron, her movie Heartburn. I associate her and her movies with fall, and to me, whenever it’s fall, I get so nostalgic. When it’s not fall, I get so focused, but when it turns, I get this yearning vibe.

 

I really enjoyed how ‘Beauty Rest’ has this analysis of capitalism and how we’re forced to segment our lives in order to even live. You sing, “Too many people out here, I guess / Realizing their dreams on a daily basis.” Where did the inspiration for this song come from?

 

I believe this was the first song I wrote for the album, which kind of formed it. It was right when I was putting out my last record, Romantic Images, and the summer of 2021. Summer is my least favorite season, and I hate being hot. It was still pandemic-times, and we couldn’t tour. I think there was this misconception that, “Okay, 2020 bad, 2021 good! Normal!” I feel like we were all confident, putting out an album, and then it was like every single person on earth put out an album. I was feeling so overstimulated, so depressed, not being able to tour. I was basically dealing with all of the things I don’t like about putting out an album: thinking about how it’s doing, what’s the press like, etc. I get very seasonally depressed in the summer and happy in the fall and winter. I was thinking about capitalism commodifying your art. It just felt like everyone was working so hard. I felt like, “I wish we could all just chill out and not worry so much.”

 

What are you most excited about when touring this album?

 

It’s always fun to play new songs live, and we’re doing all the new songs, except ‘Heartburn’, because it was too tricky to figure out with all the horns. It’s just fun to see the fans. I love the structure of tour. We brought our dog, which is so fun, and kind of crazy, but it’s been nice. He loves the van, and he takes the tour well, which is good for mental health. I’m hoping to tour Europe and the UK next year, that’s something we haven’t been able to do since the pandemic.

 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

 

 

Molly Burch’s Daydreamer is out now via Captured Tracks.

The post Artist Spotlight: Molly Burch appeared first on Our Culture.

 

 

— Our Culture

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Art & Life Culture Lifestyle

No label, no clothes: Megan Thee Stallion announces ‘Completely Independent’ comeback album with nude ‘Act One’ teaser

Megan Thee Stallion officially split with her old label, 1501 and announced a “completely independent” new album with a nude “act one” teaser.

 

 

Source: Jemal Countess/GA / Getty

 

After years of bitter beef with her former label, Megan Thee Stallion is entering her comeback era. The rapper is deep in her for her new self-funded project. On Thursday, she teased “act one” of her upcoming project with a sexy and spooky nude photo.

 

Megan Thee Stallion via new IG post. pic.twitter.com/CekmkPubDX

— Stallion Access (@stallionaccess) October 12, 2023

Let’s begin… pic.twitter.com/6o6Wb3hlgV

— TINA SNOW (@theestallion) October 12, 2023

 

The “Savage” star took to Instagram to flaunt her “body-ody-ody” on Instagram Stories. She wore nothing but long, sharp, fang-like nails and the glow from a green light.

Megan Thee Stallion I will never eat another bite. pic.twitter.com/zJ0nbp3hga

— B. (@BriDASH) October 13, 2023

 

Megan also posted a series of three photos spelling out “Act One” with a snake swallowing its tail as the “O” on Instagram. She captioned the trilogy “Let’s Begin” with a snake emoji on each picture.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion)

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion)

 

The three posts include a scary series of shots continuing the snake theme. One carousel features a close-up of fangs fit for a queen, Megan baring her sexy snake-like grill, and the rapper seemingly ready to bite a woman lying at her knees.

 

Other shots include Megan holding a white snake and stacks of spiked bracelets on her wrists. Thee Stallion undeniably ate that while looking like a snack across the cryptic clips and photos.

#ACTONE 🐍 MEGAN THEE STALLION! pic.twitter.com/g1QGmhrqxj

— YesHomo2.0 (@0Yeshomo2) October 13, 2023

 

Whatever the Traumazine rapper has in the works, she recently confirmed no labels can hold her back this time.

 

Read more about Megan Thee Stallion’s “completely independent” announcement after the flip!

 

 

— Bossip

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Business International & World Lifestyle Regulations & Security Technology

As China-linked Bitcoin mines open across the US, officials raise national security concerns, like about a Wyoming mine that is close to a nuclear missile base

—  Microsoft reported one site in Wyoming because of its proximity to a data center and nuclear missile base. Records show other cryptocurrency facilities have ties to the Chinese state.

 

 

New York Times:

 

 

When a company with Chinese origins broke ground last year on a crypto-mining operation in Cheyenne, Wyo., a team at Microsoft that assesses national security threats sounded the alarm.

 

Not only was the site next door to a Microsoft data center that supported the Pentagon — it was about a mile away from an Air Force base that controlled nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.

 

The location could allow the Chinese to “pursue full-spectrum intelligence collection operations,” the Microsoft team wrote in an August 2022 report to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a federal body that monitors threats posed by overseas investors.

 

Microsoft’s warning did not go unheeded. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, U.S. government officials told The New York Times last week that they had been tracking the Wyoming operation for months. One official said that measures had been taken to mitigate potential intelligence collection but declined to elaborate. In addition, the mining company said it responded to queries from the federal investment committee.

 

The national security concerns about the Wyoming site, previously unreported, reflect a broader unease about a recent surge in Chinese Bitcoin mines across the country.

 

Aside from intelligence-gathering worries, the mines, which are large warehouses or containers packed with specialized computers, put immense pressure on power grids. The computers typically run around the clock while “mining” for the digital coins, the most popular among the various cryptocurrencies.

 

Brian Harrell, a former assistant secretary for infrastructure protection at the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, said the operations could place “enormous stress” on the grid if the mines worked in concert to wreak havoc.

 

Possibilities include targeted blackouts and cyberattacks.

 

If Chinese “infrastructure impacts key energy systems,” Mr. Harrell said, “it should immediately draw additional investigation and scrutiny.”

 

In at least 12 states, including Arkansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming, The Times identified Chinese-owned or -operated Bitcoin mines that together use as much energy as 1.5 million homes. At full capacity, the Cheyenne, Wyo., mine alone would require enough electricity to power 55,000 houses.

 

Many of the mines are equipped with computers made by Bitmain, a Chinese company that has no apparent direct connection to the Chinese authorities but, according to import records, has sent some shipments to the United States through a subsidiary located at a Communist Party site in southern China.

 

Since Bitcoin mining was banned in China in May 2021 over concerns about energy usage and economic destabilization, Bitmain has shipped 15 times more equipment to the United States than it did in the previous five years combined, the records show. A recent presentation by the company claimed it controlled 90 percent of the global market for the equipment, which is specially designed for Bitcoin mining.

 

Some of the U.S. mining operations appear to be straightforward efforts by wealthy Chinese nationals to make money outside the purview of Chinese authorities. For others the ownership is opaque, while several can be traced to the Chinese government.

 

Court documents show the mine in Cheyenne is linked to five companies, all using the same office on Park Avenue in Manhattan. One of them is registered in the Cayman Islands and until last year was a Chinese pork-processing company. The Times did not find any links between the owners of the Cheyenne mine and the Chinese government or Communist Party.

 

“Microsoft has no direct indications of malicious activities by this entity,” Microsoft said in its 16-page report. “However, pending further discovery, we suggest the possibility that the computing power of an industrial-level cryptomining operation, along with the presence of an unidentified number of Chinese nationals in direct proximity to Microsoft’s Data Center and one of three strategic-missile bases in the U.S., provides significant threat vectors.”

 

The new risks come amid a steep rise in Bitcoin mining in the United States. Earlier this year, a Times investigation found that operations were consuming about 4,000 megawatts — enough to power over three million U.S. households — and that more megawatts were continuously coming online.

 

The operations’ vast energy consumption, combined with their ability to turn on or off almost instantly, is unique among large power users. The combination allows many to participate in programs that pay them to shut down when a grid is under strain.

 

That flexibility can help keep the lights on, but it can also disrupt the delicate balance grids require. In Texas, the state grid operator recently disclosed that some mines’ unpredictable behavior could result in “emergency conditions.”

 

 

Read more at this link:

As China-linked Bitcoin mines open across the US, officials raise national security concerns, like about a Wyoming mine that is close to a nuclear missile base

 

 

— Techmeme

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Art & Life Culture International & World Lifestyle Perspectives Weather & Environment

‘The End We Start From’ review: Jodie Comer makes it through the rain in a gripping survival drama

BAFTA-winning TV director Mahalia Belo crosses auspiciously to the big screen with a lean, effective adaptation of Megan Hunter’s climate-change-themed bestseller.

 

It begins as a spatter of heavy rainfall — nothing out of the ordinary for acclimatized Brits, for whom an actual storm can even be cozily welcome after days of noncommittal drear and drizzle. But then it doesn’t stop, deep-set wet turns to invasive flooding, and what seemed a mere bout of inclement weather has swept you — and countless others like you — out of house and home. Megan Hunter’s speculative novel “The End We Start From” was a neat metaphor for the larger threat in seemingly minor signifiers of climate crisis; briskly adapted by screenwriter Alice Birch, Mahalia Belo‘s fine film version matches its pragmatic, coolly urgent vision of a world coming apart slowly, gradually, and then all at once.

 

Tight in budget and focus, this isn’t disaster cinema of the lurid Hollywood school, revelling in the grand spectacle of destruction. For much of the film’s running time, Belo turns our attention away from the sprawling geographical impact of the great flood and toward its devastating effect on the domestic sphere — as chiefly represented by two young parents (Jodie Comer and Joel Fry) raising a newborn baby with no permanent roof over their heads. That pivot may be a necessity for a modest British indie that’s more in the business of implication than illustration, but Comer’s dauntless, film-powering performance makes an outright virtue of it: The toughness and terror doing battle across her face are more than a substitute for a CGI waterworld.

 

Pretty much everyone in “The End We Start From” is anonymous: The credits identify Comer’s protagonist only as “Woman,” while other characters are granted a single initial each. This could be any of us, the film appears to suggest. Personal idiosyncrasies and backstories are kept to a minimum, while humanizing detail comes via in-the-moment actions. Only the newborn gets a name — Zeb — as a gesture of the film’s guarded faith in future generations. He arrives as the flood begins, his mother initially stranded in her sodden East London basement apartment in as she goes into labor. Once she’s eventually taken to hospital, it’s clear there will be no homecoming.

 

The hospital, filling with water and patients, is no steady sanctuary: London cannot hold. So mother, father and baby bundle into their car and head northwards, through blaring traffic jams and officious roadblocks, to the well-stocked rural home of his doting parents (Mark Strong and Nina Sosanya). There, they live the tranquilly isolated survivalist dream for a time. But supplies run out, and tragedy strikes. Hitting the road again, this time with no destination, the young couple must resort to mass shelters, and in time, to unavoidable separation. Alone with her son, the woman encounters humanity’s most anarchic selfishness in times of crisis; in another young mother (a wonderful Katherine Waterston), an American with a dry line in gallows humor, she rediscovers such quaint notions as allyship and empathy.

 

With previous writing credits including “Lady Macbeth” and “The Wonder,” Birch has form in stories of resilient women in dire circumstances, told with terse rigor. But that’s countered with a hint of stoic sentimentality in “The End We Start From,” an acknowledgement that people sometimes need to spill their feelings (or start an off-key “Dirty Dancing” singalong) to endure another hopeless day. Fleetingly, the film takes the comforting forms of road movie — sometimes without a vehicle — and buddy comedy, but these phases are mere diversions from the protagonist’s increasingly solitary quest to build back life as she knew it. The film invites viewers to consider what they would do in such peril, without supplying any moral guidance as to the right course of action: Comer’s riveting performance, physically tense with desperation, makes us believe, at least while watching, that we’d do whatever she’s doing.

 

Making the leap from small-screen work on such projects as the BBC’s “The Long Song” and Netflix’s “Requiem,” Belo directs with assured restraint, consistently stressing the human factor. There’s no flashy formal flexing here, though Suzie Lavelle’s damp earth-toned lensing, Arttu Salmi’s clipped, on-edge editing and Laura Ellis Cricks’s subtly decayed production design all play their part in connoting a jittery state of emergency, even when we can’t see the cause. (The effects budget largely goes on eerie late-film images of a ruined Big Smoke, where roads have turned to rivers.) The light electronic intrusions in Anna Meredith’s excellent score are in line with the scarce sci-fi detailing elsewhere: At every turn, “The End We Start From” pushes for immediacy, the sense that this awful near future could be tomorrow.

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Culture International & World Lifestyle Regulations & Security

Dana Walden sends staff-wide memo at Disney reflecting on ‘worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust’

Dana Walden sent a staff-wide memo to all of Disney Entertainment on Friday, reflecting on the past week since Hamas struck Israel in a deadly and devastating war.

 

“Tomorrow marks one week since the world changed forever with the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Walden wrote in a memo, exclusively obtained by Variety.

 

“There are moments in history where the horror and heartbreak are so overwhelming, no words feel sufficient,” Walden said. “This is one of those moments.”

 

The letter continues, “Like all of you, I am devastated for the innocent lives lost in the region. I am also angry — that this act of evil and cowardice by Hamas has torn apart families and stolen loved ones long before their time.”

 

Walden, who is Jewish, is co-chairman of Disney Entertainment. Her letter to the staff follows The Walt Disney Company’s announcement that the company would be making a $2 million donation to humanitarian relief in Israel. Disney CEO Bob Iger released an official company statement on Thursday evening condemning Hamas’ attacks, stating, “In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks targeting Jews in Israel this past weekend, we must all do what we can to support the innocent people experiencing so much pain, violence, and uncertainty — particularly children.”

 

Over 1,000 civilians have died in both Israel and Gaza, since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, which is the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas fired thousands of rockets from Gaza, brutally killing innocent civilians in their homes and committing a massacre at a music festival for peace where 260 bodies were found. More than 100 civilians have been kidnapped from Israel and are being held hostage in Gaza. Over 20 American citizens have been killed, and more are missing or believe to be hostages.

 

In Walden’s letter, the executive says that she has connected with staff members to discuss “shared fears and sadness.” She addresses employees who have lost friends or family in the war.

 

“This is a moment for us all to stand together as one community — to comfort and lean on one another,” Walden writes.

 

Walden gives gratitude to the journalists at Disney at the local station level and at ABC News, thanking those teams for “working tirelessly around the clock, noting that they “risk their lives on the ground.”

 

See Walden’s full memo here:

Team, 

Tomorrow marks one week since the world changed forever with the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

 

There are moments in history where the horror and heartbreak are so overwhelming, no words feel sufficient. This is one of those moments. Like all of you, I am devastated for the innocent lives lost in the region. I am also angry — that this act of evil and cowardice by Hamas has torn apart families and stolen loved ones long before their time.

 

In the wake of this terrorist attack, I have had the opportunity to connect with some of you about our shared fears and sadness. Some of you have lost close friends or family — and I can’t even begin to imagine the depths of your pain. Others have reached out wanting to know how they can help and how they can support their colleagues who are hurting right now. This is a moment for us all to stand together as one community — to comfort and lean on one another. I am constantly awed by this team’s compassion and resilience, and both are needed right now.

 

I also want to acknowledge our incredible Owned Television Stations and ABC News organization who are working tirelessly around the clock, and our team who continues to risk their lives on the ground. The stories they are sharing are the ones no one ever wants to have to cover but are so important for the world to see. The 20/20 special earlier this week was raw, powerful and gut-wrenching — and it shined a light on the human cost of this horrific violence.

 

Thank you all for continuing to support one another. Please be kind to yourselves and each other during this particularly dark time. If you’re struggling or just need someone to listen, please reach out to a colleague or your leader. We’re all here for you, and we will get through this together.

 

All my best,
Dana

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Business Culture Digital - AI & Apps Economics Lifestyle Technology

ChatGPT overtakes Netflix in web traffic

The digital landscape continues to evolve, mainly driven by the ceaseless march of technological innovation. Amid this ever-shifting landscape, ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) language model developed by OpenAI, has risen to prominence, outshining some of the most dominant players in the online ecosystem.

 

In particular, data acquired by Finbold indicates that between June 2023 and Aug. 2023, ChatGPT recorded an estimated average of 1.51 billion monthly website visits to its official website chat.openai.com. The figure places ChatGPT in the ninth position overall among the top ten selected major websites by visits. The AI platform is ahead of the streaming giant Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), which registered 1.49 billion trips during the same period.

 

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https://infogram.com/estimated-number-of-website-visitors-in-billions-1h7j4dvkloxl94n

 

Meanwhile, Google.com, the Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)-owned search engine, continues to dominate the digital arena with a staggering 85.41 billion visits. Following closely behind is YouTube, with 33.56 billion visits. Facebook, a product of Meta (NASDAQ: META), secures the third position overall with 17.2 billion visits, while Instagram occupies the fourth spot at 6.68 billion. X (formerly Twitter) holds steady with 6.48 billion visits. Notable entities also include e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), which garnered 2.46 billion visits, securing the eighth position in the rankings.

Behind ChatGPT’s rise

ChatGPT’s website visits place the platform among the fastest-growing entities on the internet, considering it less than a year since its launch. Indeed, OpenAI launched the tool at a point when other established traditional players held back due to the uncertainty associated with interactive AI platforms, such as the potential harm it could cause, like spreading misinformation or hate speech.

What distinguishes ChatGPT and positions it for success against established traditional players is its remarkable ability to deliver personalized and diverse content recommendations, answer inquiries, provide comprehensive explanations, and even aid in creative endeavors such as writing, coding, and idea generation.

 

Its wide-reaching availability across many websites has transformed it into an indispensable companion for internet users in pursuit of instant and pertinent information. It has seamlessly woven itself into the very fabric of the digital world, making appearances on websites, chatbots, applications, and even customer service portals.

 

ChatGPT’s user-friendly design, which allows interactions as simple as typing a message, appeals to users of all ages and technical proficiencies. This intuitive interface has significantly contributed to the surge in website traffic.

 

Behind ChatGPT’s rapid rise is also a robust, continuous learning and improvement system. OpenAI’s substantial investments in refining the model, mitigating biases, and expanding its knowledge base ensure that ChatGPT remains current, precise, and dependable.

 

The underlying design of ChatGPT has placed it to surpass a platform such as Netflix. The streaming service, known for its vast library of movies and TV shows, has long been synonymous with online entertainment. While Netflix specializes in delivering scripted entertainment, ChatGPT appeals to a broader spectrum of users, from students seeking assistance with homework to professionals in need of quick information and inspiration. It’s this ubiquity and adaptability that have allowed ChatGPT to surpass Netflix in website visits.

Dealing with competition

As ChatGPT continues to evolve and expand its capabilities, we will likely witness a profound shift in how we interact with digital technology. The competition between AI models like ChatGPT and traditional content providers like Netflix may drive innovation in both sectors, benefiting consumers by providing more choices and tailored experiences. In this line, some traditional players in the digital space, such as Google, joined the race to incorporate AI into their system by launching the Bard platform. Indeed, such products are likely to expand the dominance of Google at the top of the digital landscape.

 

However, ChatGPT is countering this rising competition with consistent improvement. The improvement is highlighted by the recent upgrades that saw the platform introduce new features, such as removing the knowledge limit cut-off and the ability to browse the web. In the meantime, the industry will watch the planned AI tool that Tesla CEO Elon Musk developed to rival ChatGPT.

What the future holds

ChatGPT has ignited the race to incorporate AI; its impact is felt across various domains. Numerous companies strive to enhance AI’s capabilities by generating video music and developing detection tools to screen artificially generated content. Most individuals will probably encounter this emerging technology in the near future. The demand has been highlighted by a previous Finbold report that indicated that demand for AI spiked about 500% in 12 months as of August.

 

Overall, ChatGPT’s meteoric rise in website visitors is a testament to its transformative potential in AI. The success highlights our insatiable appetite for smart, accessible, and versatile AI solutions in an increasingly digital world.

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Culture Entertainment News Environment Lifestyle

‘Gen V’ got ‘A Lot of Notes’ on that dolphin-blowhole sex scene, and EP explains all the bloody puppet mayhem

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Episode 5 of “Gen V,” titled “Welcome to the Monster Club,” now streaming on Prime Video.

 

Even superheroes can party a little too hard. The heroes of “Gen V” wake up wondering what the hell happened last night in this latest episode, but what seems like some alcohol-induced memory loss turns out to be diabolical mind wiping.

 

The culprit comes from within our core group of heroes, when it’s revealed that Cate (Maddie Phillips) was erasing people’s memories on Dean Shetty’s (Shelley Conn) command.

 

Last week’s episode ended abruptly, just as Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Emma (Lizze Broadway), Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh), Andre (Chance Perdomo) and Cate were close to getting answers on the mysterious supe program called The Woods. But suddenly, the screen cut to black and the heroes found themselves waking up at a wild house party, with Marie in bed with Jordan and Cate with Andre. Huh?

 

The college kids assume it was just a night of blackout binge-drinking, but then their suspicions turn to Rufus (Alexander Calvert), the psychic creep who uses his powers to take advantage of women. Rufus denies the allegations, though, and Marie discovers a tracking device embedded in her neck. She then realizes it was Cate all along who had been using her mind control powers to wipe the memories of her classmates. Before Andre can kill Rufus, Cate confesses her complicity in Shetty’s scheme, shattering her friends’ trust.

 

The only person who doesn’t get his mind wiped is Sam (Asa Germann), who is on the run from Shetty’s Woods guards. Isolated and alone, Sam has mental break, and starts seeing the intruders as puppets. Yes, puppets. Fans of “The Muppets” should look away, because what follows is a brutal, bloody massacre, in which all the blood, guts and bones are made of felt and red confetti. Sam tears the puppet guards limb from limb in, and once the mayhem is over the show reveals the bodies and carnage left behind.

 

In an interview with Variety, executive producer Michele Fazekas breaks down the puppet fight scene, Cate’s betrayal and a couple of brand new supes who get a brief, but graphic, first appearance at the party.

 

Where did the idea for the puppet massacre come from?

Every outrageous, crazy thing you see on this show, or on “The Boys” comes from a real place of drama and emotion and character. We wanted to show Sam almost decompensating, and under so much stress. How can we show that in a way that we haven’t seen before? That came with the writers’ room. We had the scene with Jason Ritter and the puppet — that was great. I was really happy that everyone signed on to what on the surface sounds like a ridiculous idea, which is we’re going to shoot a fight sequence exactly as if it’s a visceral human action fight sequence, and the only differences is it’s also with puppets but treated exactly as if it’s a real fight sequence.

 

Where did you get the puppets?

The head of our makeup department goes, “Oh, I can do that. I’ve done this before.” How is that possible? So he built them all. We hired puppeteers to come in and help us, because we built that set. You can’t really go out on location and shoot something like that. The puppeteers wore a green sort of body sock and then we erased them in post. I couldn’t believe that.

 

How many unique puppets are there?

At least four or six guards. There’s the Sam puppet, the Emma puppet and we also have a Deep puppet.

 

Last week, you and Eric Kripke mentioned that the writers pulled a lot from their own college experiences. Was there any real-life inspiration behind the opening party sequence?

It’s like the supe-ified version of going on a bender in college and not remembering what you did. Eric Kripke talked a lot about his 21st birthday in college. A lot of what really works well in “Gen V” is taking those typical college experiences and putting our spin on it. That’s why for a little while they are chalking it up to “Oh, I guess I just got really sick last night.” But they quickly start to put pieces together, like maybe that’s not what happened. If you’re binge-drinking in college it’s probably not an uncommon experience. We liked the “Gen V” version of that, and it’s a great cover story for Cate.

 

We’re briefly introduced to two new supes while they’re hooking up. One is a guy who can make his hand vibrate incredibly fast, and the other is a girl with a dolphin blowhole on her back. Do they have names, and when will we see them again?

I don’t believe they have names. The dolphin girl, that was when we got a lot of notes for how much we could see, which is somewhat amusing because, I mean — it’s a hole in her back. So you’re not actually seeing anything. But I really love how it seems gross and graphic, but it’s also not a real thing, so it’s kind of perfect.

 

Marie and Jordan awkwardly navigate their new relationship in this episode. And it’s made more complex because Jordan can change their gender. How did you decide when to portray Jordan as a male and as a female when they’re with Marie?

We are really intentional about that. In a subsequent episode, you’re gonna see Jordan talk about that, and why they decide to become male for certain things and female for other things. It is intentional: Their powers are very gender specific. As a male, Jordan is like a brick wall, a tank, immovable and can withstand a really strong impact. As a woman, Jordan can expel this energy blast. It’s like offensive and defense. You heard in Episode 3, they were born male, but they see themselves as both, and it sort of depends on how they feel in a given moment.

 

In the end, it’s revealed that Cate is the one wiping her friends’ memories and causing the blackouts. It’s a major betrayal, — so can she really be trusted anymore?

It’s complicated. When Cate reveals herself to Marie and says “I’m so sorry,” she really is. There’s a part of her that really loves her friend. It’s really hard for her. A lot of this is going to come out in subsequent episodes, but is she trying to protect them?

 

I like that her motivations aren’t just like, “I’m evil.” No, she’s doing it for a reason.’I like that her motivations aren’t just like, “I’m evil.” No, she’s doing it for a reason.

 

This interview has been edited and condensed.

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Economics Education Healthcare Lifestyle Perspectives Science

Expert advises creators and business founders on ‘Founder’s Exit Paradox’

The departure of founders from their business creations, termed the “Founder’s Exit Paradox,” is a complex phenomenon characterized by emotional involvement and detachment.

 

Despite existing research, a comprehensive understanding and guidance that encompass emotional, relational and existential dimensions are lacking.  As founders face the intricate interplay between emotional attachment and separation, they encounter challenges in employing effective coping strategies.

 

Furthermore, departing from not only their ventures, but also the people who contributed to their success, partnerships and collaborators, adds another layer of emotional complexity. Additionally, the transition brings forth questions about finding meaning and purpose in post-exit life

Business Exit Authority Jerome Myers, PE, MBA, PMP explores a holistic framework that addresses the emotional, psychological and practical aspects of the Founder’s Exit Paradox (self-image, relationships, work, health, prosperity and significance) in a way that empowers them to navigate the departure journey with resilience, transform personally and leave a lasting legacy.

To address the emotional complexities of departing from one’s creation, founders must first grasp the nuanced dynamics of the Founder’s Exit Paradox.

 

This understanding involves recognizing the interplay between emotional involvement and detachment, along with the amalgamation of behavioral, affective and cognitive processes. Jerome can extrapolate: 

  • Leveraging Coping Orientations
  • Integration of Positive Psychology Principles
  • Adoption of the Red Pill Model
  • Barrier Recognition and Dismantling
  • Promoting Awareness, Destigmatization, and Community Building
  • Fostering Personal Transformation and Legacy
  • Ongoing Self-Reflection and Adaptation

 

About the Expert

An award-winning engineer turned business strategist, Jerome uses his rich experience and innate understanding of human emotions to ensure that your journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurship is a fulfilling one.  At the helm of a division of a multibillion-dollar Fortune 550 company, Jerome created a thriving $20M operation with 175 dedicated team members. Now, he employs that expertise to advise leaders across diverse industries, from real estate to healthcare, guiding them to double their revenue, harmony in their work-life integration, and ramp up their charitable contributions.

His multifaceted experience also extends to the realm of real estate and academia. Jerome wears the hat of a general partner in a multifamily real estate portfolio and lends his strategic acumen to the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, driving entrepreneurial progress.  But, Jerome’s efforts to guide newly-exited operators (NEOs) doesn’t stop there. As the host of the DreamCatchers podcast, he assists founders in addressing the six centers of doubt they will face following a significant life transition. Self-image, relationship, work, health, prosperity, and significance; none of these challenges are insurmountable when navigated with the right guidance and perspective.

Jerome’s transformative program, the NEO Navigator, maps out the eight key exits a founder might encounter, from leaving a corporate role and becoming a ‘Chief Everything Officer’ to finally transitioning into roles of thought leadership and board chairmanship. He provides strategic guidance for each stage, culminating in successful business exits and the creation of a diverse post-exit investment portfolio. The ultimate goal? To help founders contribute to the causes they hold dear and leave a lasting legacy.  Whether grappling with the early stages of leaving corporate America or strategizing post-exit portfolio building, Jerome’s insightful advice and empathic approach helps founders navigate each transition with grace and confidence.