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Inside the hilarious, secretive and petty world of book blurbs

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover. So why do so many people—from readers, to retailers, to publishers and reviewers—judge them by one little name, next to a little generic quote, that appears on that cover?Sophie Vershbow wrote about book blurbs for Esquire. She says that for writers, sourcing blurbs for their books is a process that is universally reviled. “Being asked to do it, having to keep asking to do it, is something that everyone seems to really dread,” says Vershbow.If you’ve ever chosen your next read because the book came with a kind word from your favourite author, or if you’ve ever read some of those effusive blurbs, then read the book and wondered, “Did that person even read this thing?!” Well, welcome to the publishing industry’s weirdest little secret world.It’s “an amazing episode of The Big Story, one of the best for sure!” — Producer Joe FishYou can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on&...

Aimia board recommends shareholders reject takeover offer from Mithaq Capital

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

TORONTO — The board of directors of Aimia Inc. is recommending shareholders reject a takeover offer from Mithaq Capital SPC because it says it undervalues the company and is not compelling.The board says the hostile offer does not reflect some of the potential growth opportunities that the company is pursuing and cautioned it contains some 20 conditions that must be satisfied or waived.Mithaq, a segregated portfolio company and affiliate of Mithaq Holding Co., a family office based in Saudi Arabia, is the largest shareholder in Aimia.It has offered $3.66 per share in cash for the stake in Aimia it does not already own. Aimia, which sold its flagship Aeroplan loyalty program to Air Canada in 2019 and reinvented itself as an investment holding company, announced a deal last week to raise up to $32.5 million in a private placement of shares and warrants.It says that its directors and officers, as well as the investors in the private placement, intend to reject the Mithaq offer.This rep...

Dove Cameron drops new spiky banger, ‘Lethal Woman,’ ahead of debut album ‘Alchemical: Volume 1’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Dove Cameron’s latest single starts with the sound of maniacal laughter and then a piano riff that could have been swiped from “The Phantom of the Opera.” She’s just getting started.“Lethal Woman” is a club banger about a woman “sharp as a knife under the table” that includes sounds of banging on a door, a gun being cocked and heavy production elements. The lyrics include the playful rhyme: “Game recognizes game/By the way, what’s your name?”“We threw everything including the kitchen sink into that song,” Cameron tells The Associated Press ahead of its release, the latest track from her debut album due Dec. 1, “Alchemical: Volume 1.”“I think my favorite thing about the song actually is that we switch keys like six times and you hardly really notice,” she says, laughing. “It just adds this kind of unhinged quality that to me just really takes us over the top.”“Alchemical: Volume 1” contains six new songs and two previous hits, “Boyfriend” and “Breakfast.” ...

US state official resigns over Biden's arms transfer to Israel

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

CHICAGO -- A US state department official in the bureau that oversees arms transfers resigned Thursday in protest of the Biden administration's decision in sending weapons to Israel amid the war that has claimed over 4,000 Palestinian lives and leaving over 13,000 wounded in consistent bombings and airstrikes. More than 1,400 people in Israel are reported dead from the initial attack and that families of 203 people are believed to have been captured by Hamas. Josh Paul, who had served with the Bureau of Political-Miliary Affairs for over 11 years was fascinated with the complexity of the job, but said in a LinkedIn post, he is unable to work in support of rushing major policy decisions and sending more arms to one side of a conflict. "I believe to the core of my soul that the response Israel is taking, and with it the American support both for that response, and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more deeper suffering for both the Israel and the Palestinian peop...

Dean's 'Weekender' features a few pre-Halloween events

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

CHICAGO — With each passing day, we're getting a little bit closer to Halloween. That means a number of events in celebration of October 31 are starting to creep up around the Chicagoland area, and that includes this week. Hence the "Weekender" on Friday's WGN Morning News from Dean Richards featured a couple of these events that are going on in the city and suburbs to get people in the Halloween spirit. Along with those events, we also spotlighted concerts by Steep Canyon Rangers, Pretty Lights, Tommy James & The Shondells, Enhypen, performances of "Sanctuary City," "A View From The Bridge," the Sweetest Day Comedy Jam, Aries Spears, and more during the segment.You can watch this edition of Dean's "Weekender" from the October 20 WGN Morning News in the video above. Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Maryland circuit court judge fatally shot in own driveway, police say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (WDVM) – A Maryland circuit court judge was fatally shot at his home Thursday night, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.Police said deputies responded to a Hagerstown residence at around 8:00 p.m. Thursday after reports of a shooting.Deputies found Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, in the driveway of his home with apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he died. DC police officer shot during gunfire exchange, suspect killed Police said they were searching for suspects.State troopers were deployed overnight as a precaution to protect judges who live in Washington County, state police spokesperson Elena Russo said. Wilkinson was sworn in as a circuit court judge in 2020. The 1994 University of North Carolina graduate received his law degree from Emory University School of Law in 1997 and then became a circuit court law clerk in Washington County.In Maryland, circuit courts in each ...

KPD: Officer-involved shooting on Southside Drive

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44) - The Killeen Police Department is responding to an officer-involved shooting in the 900 block of Southside Drive.The department says that the public is urged to avoid the area.This is a developing story. FOX 44 News will have more information as it becomes available.

Police recover stolen patrol rife, give update on investigation

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

RUTLAND, Vt. (NEWS10) -- Vermont State Police have announced they recovered a stolen patrol rifle that was taken Tuesday. Timothy Gabriel was arrested Thursday in connection to both the patrol rifle and a cop car being stolen. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Vermont State Police Police say a cop car was stolen outside of a Rutland City home between 2 and 4:40 a.m. on Tuesday. The cruiser was located elsewhere in the city, but a patrol rifle was missing from the car.Around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Vermont State Police found Gabriel walking on Cherry Street in Burlington. Police say he ignored commands directing him to surrender and was subdued by troopers. At the time, the patrol rifle wasn't accounted for. Search warrant yields firearms and drugs in Albany Police say the rifle was found abandoned in a pull-off in the vicinity of Exit 3 in Arlington, Vermont. Vermont State Police say uniformed officers are assigned take-home c...

Hip Cantonese spot opening with Chinatown-style dumplings, hand-pulled noodles and an unabashed love for MSG

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen stood in the doorway of their new restaurant this week, catching oranges from a lion dancer while cymbals and drums banged away in the background.In Chinese culture, the lion dance is a way to consecrate temples and new businesses. The lion, a costume with two people handling the head and tail, “eats” an orange and spits it back out. It’s good luck for whoever can catch it. Luckily, Yuen and Wan had good grips that evening.“Blessing a restaurant is very traditional for Chinese culture, and we thought it’d be a cool way to make an announcement to the neighborhood that we’re here,” Wan said.Yuen and Wan are opening MAKfam, their first full-service restaurant at 39 W. 1st Ave., next door to Snooze’s new South Broadway location, on Nov. 1. Formerly called Meta Asian Kitchen and located inside the Avanti Food & Beverage market hall in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood, MAKfam stands for Meta Asian Kitchen. The couple celebrated with friends and family ...

The trials and triumphs of Tina Turner, vividly, violently onstage | Theater review

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:28:48 GMT

There comes a moment late in the first act of “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical” when the brutalized star of the title has swallowed valium in a failed suicide attempt and lies in a hospital bed. Her mother, Zelma, is at her bedside, telling her that Ike has sent a limo to the hospital; she’s got a show to do.“Go on out there and give them people what they been waiting on,” says Zelma.Cue the languorous guitar intro to “Proud Mary.” Tina Turner’s version of the song to this day — and likely forever — elicits a Pavlovian joy as Turner and backup dancers (first the Ikettes and later her own troupe) begin that slow slide from “nice and easy” to “nice and rough.”Nominated for 12 Tonys in 2020, the glitzy biographical musical’s tour brings the trials and triumphs of the rock ‘n’ roll icon to Denver’s Buell Theatre through Oct. 29.Kristopher Stanley Ward as Richard Bullock and Symphony King as young Anna Mae in “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical.” (Matthew Mur...