Life Insurance: May 2018

Thursday, 31 May 2018

‘The Americans,’ at Last, Lets Us Exhale

By JAMES PONIEWOZIK from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2sghj4X

The End of ‘The Americans’: Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys on the ‘Devastating’ Finale

By MAUREEN RYAN from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2J2TCaQ

‘The Americans’ Finale: The Damage Done

By MIKE HALE from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2H5KH2q

BBC NEWS

It will now be called the US Indo-Pacific Command to mark the growing importance of the Indian Ocean.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2LbPW39

BBC NEWS

The star meets the president on behalf of a 63-year-old woman jailed for a first-time drug offence.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2LJ4yI0

BBC NEWS

The White House reportedly plans to let a temporary exemption granted to European steel and aluminium expire.

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BBC NEWS

More than 20 people are arrested over the haul, which was hidden in boxes marked "halal meat".

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BBC NEWS

President Trump weighed in after ABC cancelled Roseanne's show over the tweet about an ex-Obama aide.

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BBC NEWS

Roxana Hernandez, 33, was being held by immigration authorities in New Mexico when she fell ill.

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BBC NEWS

Russian regulators have given the company one month to remove the messaging app from its App Store.

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BBC NEWS

A man shot dead by police after a murder spree is also suspected of killing a man he met in jail.

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BBC NEWS

Ukraine staged Arkady Babchenko's murder in Kiev on Tuesday to "foil a Russian assassination plot".

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BBC NEWS

More than 2,000 Russian women who lived under the Islamic State group have disappeared.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2IYarUh

BBC NEWS

This photographer has been on a 10-year mission to teach people that pigeons are beautiful.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2LF0gBH

BBC NEWS

Footage of the man who shot dead two police officers and a civilian in Liège shows him with two guns.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2J01Pbz

BBC NEWS

Market trader 'Sun Hui' gives her view on Kim Jong-un from inside the country.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H1DOza

BBC NEWS

How two female DJs from St Petersburg are challenging stereotypes, ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ISl7Ua

BBC NEWS

Russia is providing military support to the Central African Republic (CAR) – but what is Moscow getting in return?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H29p3F

BBC NEWS

The long-running soap will air Aaron Brennan and David Tanaka's nuptials in September.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2xpDr1y

BBC NEWS

Archaeologists find a man who, fleeing the initial Vesuvius eruption, was hit by a giant boulder.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2stRP3s

BBC NEWS

Faith movement based on ancient Sumerian gods attracts thousands of registered followers.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2srGq3N

BBC NEWS

Choreographer puts on football ballet to celebrate Russia's World Cup

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BBC NEWS

Concern as wild animals come ever closer to populated areas to find food in Finland and Estonia.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2LHpdwj

BBC NEWS

Bodies are not buried for months, sometimes years, in Ghana as families bicker over funeral arrangements.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ssWORA

BBC NEWS

Why members of Chile's transgender community are lobbying for a change in the law.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2slCemY

BBC NEWS

The hedge fund investor turned liberal philanthropist is politically divisive around the world.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2JeT5BF

BBC NEWS

Will a "Facebook hotline" and propaganda lessons keep polls free and fair?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2H6xOoK

BBC NEWS

Activists say they are detained without due process over suspected links to a secretive militia in Syria.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2sqPgQv

Key North Korea official meets Pompeo in New York

Talks on preparing a summit with the US are under way in New York, Singapore and on the Korean border.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LMYDBR

Top 10 worst excuses for not appointing women executives

A report on boardroom diversity reveals the top 10 worst excuses for not appointing women.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2IYnbtZ

Crackdown on high-interest lending announced by FCA

Rent-to-own sector faces a cap on prices but the regulator rules out an immediate limit on cost of overdrafts.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2J18Ngn

Study casts doubt on 'healthy obesity'

Fat but otherwise healthy women are still likelier to have a stroke or heart attack, a study says.

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Tennis star struggles with Yorkshire accent

German Alexander Zverev admired the reporter's accent so much, he even promised to pay a visit to the county if they ever hold a tournament there.

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Muslim group tells Tories to 'remove Islamophobia from party'

The Muslim Council of Britain calls for "racists and bigots" to be removed from the party.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LLaNep

Deficit for NHS trusts in England double the amount planned

Higher patient demand and staff costs are blamed for a total deficit of £960m for trusts in England.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2H34kId

Kim Kardashian asks Trump to pardon Alice Marie Johnson

The star meets the president on behalf of a 63-year-old woman jailed for a first-time drug offence.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LJ4yI0

Boy, 12, helps father fight anxiety and depression

Stuart Gumm often suffers panic attacks, no longer drives, and rarely leaves the house.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2kEfDhw

World Cup 2018: BBC iPlayer to stream matches in 4K HDR

The iPlayer service will offer 29 matches in higher-than-normal quality, but access will be limited.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2L8vvnz

Thameslink compares poor service to Poundland chocolate

Thameslink is threatened with legal action for comparing its poor service to Poundland chocolate.

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Meghan, Dua Lipa and Davidson on influential women list

Singer Dua Lipa and Supreme Court president Baroness Hale also make Vogue magazine's roll of honour.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2L92l7O

The Papers: 'You only live twice'

Exiled Russian reporter Arkady Babchenko is pictured and his fake death plot likened to a James Bond film.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2J0HeI0

News Daily: US-N Korea talks, 'excuses' over female boards, and Meghan on Vogue list

Your morning briefing for 31 May 2018.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2IXA7jI

Perfecting the pout: Which city is the UK's lip filler capital?

More searches for lip filling are made in one northern city than anywhere else in Britain, research suggests.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2xrSd8j

The beach from The Beach closes

Ko Phi Phi, made famous by Danny Boyle's The Beach, prepares close to tourists to protect its beauty.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2H5BvuT

Do these photos change your view of pigeons?

This photographer has been on a 10-year mission to teach people that pigeons are beautiful.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LF0gBH

Hay Festival: Bradford schoolgirls' first time review

A group of Bradford pupils visit the Hay Festival for the first time and give their review.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LaOP3F

The mystery of Russia's missing IS brides

More than 2,000 Russian women who lived under the Islamic State group have disappeared.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2IYarUh

Melania Trump tweets 20 days after last public appearance

"Rest assured, I'm here at the @WhiteHouse w my family," a tweet posted on her account says.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2JkrG1h

Why Serena Williams is a real life superhero

The 23-time Grand Slam winner said she felt like a "warrior" at the French Open.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2JkFwRu

Meet the Russians turning the turntables on male DJs

How two female DJs from St Petersburg are challenging stereotypes, ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2ISl7Ua

Neighbours to show Australian TV's first gay wedding

The long-running soap will air Aaron Brennan and David Tanaka's nuptials in September.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2xpDr1y

Eight times celebrities messed up on social media

Following the cancellation of Roseanne's show, which other celebrities have messed up on social media?

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2L8yjRA

US preacher asks followers to help buy fourth private jet

Jesse Duplantis, 68, said God told him to "believe" for his fourth plane, which is set to cost $54m.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2IWTPw9

Twins in school: To separate or not to separate?

Some mothers want their twins kept together, some prefer separate classes and others say "they'll find their own way regardless".

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LLP5Y3

What could Brexit mean for the UK's creative talent?

From Britain's film industry and political playwrights to touring musicians and Eurovision.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2JecUt3

Vaping - the rise in five charts

Spending on e-cigarettes is increasing. The BBC looks at what's behind the rise.

from BBC News - Home https://ift.tt/2LMfzIO

Blood Will Tell, Part 2: Did Faulty Evidence Doom Joe Bryan?

By PAMELA COLLOFF from NYT Magazine https://ift.tt/2Ji40dW

How an Unproven Forensic Science Became a Courtroom Staple

By LEORA SMITH and PROPUBLICA from NYT Magazine https://ift.tt/2kBaFBZ

Tu resumen de noticias del jueves

By Por ALBINSON LINARES from NYT Universal https://ift.tt/2slejEt

This Harry Potter Uses a Bow and Arrow. Not a Wand.

By ALEXIS SOLOSKI from NYT Style https://ift.tt/2xqpS25

Word + Quiz: solicitude

By THE LEARNING NETWORK from NYT The Learning Network https://ift.tt/2xsCzcK

What’s on TV Thursday: N.B.A. Finals and ‘A Bronx Tale’

By ANDREW R. CHOW from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2H6u8TV

Race Against the Rains

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://ift.tt/2J2CyNV

Spain Is Next to Test Europe’s Stability as Rajoy Faces No-Confidence Vote

By RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World https://ift.tt/2siHFmY

Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.

By KATRIN BENNHOLD from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LJoE5a

Trump Meets With Kim. Kim Kardashian West, That Is.

By KATIE ROGERS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2kAvNIs

Stanley Cup Finals: Braden Holtby Bounces Back to Lift the Capitals

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2xt8N7z

Sanchez Goes the Other Way, and Severino Stays the Course, in a Yankees Win

By BILLY WITZ from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2sjNjoz

The Mets Get Some Help From Jason Vargas and a Few Fresh Arms

By JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2IYWipV

Overlooked No More: The Soviet Icon Who Was Hanged for Killing a Czar

By EVA SOHLMAN from NYT Obituaries https://ift.tt/2H3afgB

What You Might Say

By DEB AMLEN from NYT Crosswords & Games https://ift.tt/2LaZHhP

In a First for Germany, Hamburg Bans Diesel Engines. On 2 Roads.

By AMIE TSANG and CHRISTOPHER F. SCHUETZE from NYT Business Day https://ift.tt/2smgXtv

Italy, Arkady Babchenko, Whales: Your Thursday Briefing

By DAN LEVIN from NYT Briefing https://ift.tt/2LJq0Ni

‘The Americans,’ at Last, Lets Us Exhale

By JAMES PONIEWOZIK from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2sghj4X

The End of ‘The Americans’: Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys on the ‘Devastating’ Finale

By MAUREEN RYAN from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2J2TCaQ

‘The Americans’ Finale: The Damage Done

By MIKE HALE from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2H5KH2q

“The Book That Changed My Life” series roundup

The Book That Changed My Life

For the May/June 2018 Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: Making a Difference (gorgeous cover at right by Yuyi Morales), we asked fifteen-plus children’s book creators to write about the book that changed their lives. The answers were heartfelt, touching, sometimes humorous, always thoughtful — and a welcome reminder about the enduring power of books and reading.

All month long, we featured “The Book That Changed My Life” articles on Hbook.com and on social media: Facebook.com/TheHornBook | @HornBook | instagram.com/thehornbook. Here is the complete series:

What book changed your life?

For more on social justice and activism from The Horn Book, visit our Making a Difference landing page.

from The Horn Book https://ift.tt/2LJ73dB

On Madelyn Travis’s “Thank Heavens for Hugo, or When Size Matters” (from 2011)

In “Thank Heavens for Hugo, or When Size Matters,” children’s literature scholar Madelyn Travis wrote about her efforts to encourage her then-seven-year-old son to “love reading” and her worry that “if he doesn’t, he will miss out on one of life’s great joys.”

Lordy, do I get it. Though my kids were toddlers when I first read Madelyn’s piece, which appeared in the September/October 2011 Horn Book Magazine‘s Books in the Home column, I remember thinking how helpful it was to have a window into the relationship between a book-loving mom and her somewhat book-indifferent child. Seven years ago, we were in a different phase of my kids’ reading lives, but I could still identify with those parental worries and concerns.

What I find helpful now, in addition to those reflected anxieties, is how familiar Madelyn’s description of her son and his friends sounds: “Samuel (and many of his friends) happily sit in front of the TV or computer for hours, or stand around swapping football cards—not much running around happening there.” Here we’re knee-deep in Pokémon cards, but…yeah.

Madelyn’s love note to Hugo is worth spending time with — a reassuring reminder that raising readers is an endurance endeavor worth the effort.

from The Horn Book https://ift.tt/2si4sz8

The Book That Changed My Life: Write What’s Missing

The Book That Changed My Life It started in seventh grade, the day my best friend brought a beat-up paperback to school and asked me to hold it for her. Garla’s mom was very religious, so at times I found myself keeping stuff for her at my house, things her mother wouldn’t approve of, like her DeBarge and Prince records. That day it was her copy of The Outsiders.

It was the 1982 Dell paperback edition with C. Thomas Howell on the cover. Since I was its temporary keeper, I read it, too. It launched our obsession with S. E. Hinton’s books. We read them all: Tex; Rumble Fish; That Was Then, This Is Now. They were stories about kids outside the mainstream, balancing between the desire to belong and the desire to be accepted for who they truly were. Kids who were tough on the outside but tenderhearted, with heads full of dreams no one else in their lives dreamed for them. Kids who were contradictions.

I loved them all, but it was The Outsiders that left a lasting impression. I read Gone with the Wind because Ponyboy and Johnny did. To this day, I have Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay” burned in my memory — go ahead, ask me to recite it. The Outsiders was the book that captured the feeling of escape you get from reading, especially when you feel like you don’t quite belong in your own world. And it was the first book in which I remember being able to catch a glimpse of myself.

Growing up in the eighties, I never saw people who looked like me, my family, or my friends in books. The authors I knew weren’t writing about what it was like to be a child of immigrants, a Hispanic (before the terms Latina or Latinx). They weren’t writing about what it was like to have your roots split between countries, often holding on to a life and memories that weren’t yours. Floating between worlds, speaking Spanish with your parents at home and English with everyone else.

Like Ponyboy, who lived in a world where looking and acting tough were crucial to his survival but who really just wanted to read and write and watch movies, I felt like a contradiction, too. I was a brown girl with nerdy interests. I liked to watch professional wrestling. I wrote role-play letters with my best friends based on John Jakes’s Civil War drama North and South. I spent PE class alone, as far away as I could get from the threat of a ball to the face, reading. But in all the books I read, not one was about a brown girl who felt like she never quite fit in. We were so absent from the pages of my books that I never even imagined our stories could live there.

The Outsiders ends with Ponyboy thinking about a paper he has to write for his English class. His teacher tells him he can write about something that is important to him. He thinks about his friends and their experiences, everything wrong and everything good in their lives. “Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then…It was important to me.” So he decides to write about his own world, not as the Socs see it and not as the newspapers portray it. He writes about his world so that others know it as he experiences it.

I didn’t know what it was like to be a poor white boy from Oklahoma, but I knew what it was like to feel Outside, Other, to not see myself or my world in media or, when I did see it, to see it distorted through someone else’s eyes. The Outsiders was an early mirror, as well as an inspiration to — as Ponyboy did — write what was missing.

From the May/June 2018 Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: Making a Difference. For more in this series click the tag Book That Changed My Life.

from The Horn Book https://ift.tt/2sqm37o

Review of Champion: The Comeback of the   American Chestnut Tree

Champion: The Comeback of the   American Chestnut Tree
by Sally M. Walker
Intermediate, Middle School    Holt    136 pp.
3/18    978-1-250-12523-1    $17.99
e-book ed. 978-1-250-12524-8    $9.99

The American chestnut tree once dotted the landscape in the eastern United States, but a mysterious blight began to wipe the trees out in the early twentieth century due to a fungus accidentally imported with Japanese and Chinese chestnut trees. The first line of defense was to inoculate the trees with a vaccine developed from the resistant trees, but more recently, scientists have turned their attention to “backcross breeding” the various chestnut tree strains. With both historical and contemporary black-and-white photographs (which are somewhat muddy; an eight-page color insert is more eye-pleasing), occasional maps, and sidebar digressions into scientific concepts, this book seamlessly incorporates both history and science — as many of Walker’s books do (Frozen Secrets, rev. 11/10; Blizzard of Glass, rev. 11/11; Their Skeletons Speak, rev. 11/12; among many others). Walker reveals her personal connection to this subject in an appended author’s note: for a high school project she was required to use leaves from any number of trees — except for the American chestnut, her father’s favorite, which the teacher mistakenly described as extinct. Other back matter includes source notes, glossary, index, and four appendices.

From the May/June 2018 issue of The Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: Making a Difference.

from The Horn Book https://ift.tt/2xsaceD

BGHB announced tomorrow!

Baby June’s Newsboys, courtesy of the Hillbarn Players, www.hillbarntheatre.org

Don’t forget to tune in to the Horn Book’s Facebook page tomorrow at noon, when the Globe’s Emily Procknal and I will be on Facebook Live announcing the winners of the 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards. In hopes that the broadcast will not be unintentionally hilarious, Em and I are having breakfast tomorrow to make sure we can pronounce everybody’s name.

from The Horn Book https://ift.tt/2kBXtww

Thursday, 31 May 2018

Wednesday, 30 May 2018