Daily Archives: December 7, 2021

Scandinavian visitors to the famous Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul are always amused, if not a little proud, to learn that one of the most valued artefacts is a piece of graffiti left by one of their ancestors.

In the 10th century, when the city was known as Constantinople, Halvdan and Are carved their names into a stone ledge in the mosque and into immortality.

Certainly the Vikings were known for visiting Constantinople back then, and other sources mention that the resident Byzantium emperor employed some as his bodyguards.

Unique for Denmark!Well, now a discovery in a west Jutland field has historians speculating whether the bodyguards might have returned home laden with treasures.

A gold earring, which experts believe was originally crafted in Egypt, was recently uncovered by metal detector hobbyist Frants Bird Vestergaard in Bvling near Lemvig.

According to Peter Pentz from Nationalmuseet, there are only 10-12 similar pieces in existence, and certainly none in a country like Denmark.

Possibly a gift Pentz speculates that the earring might have been a gift given by the Byzantium emperor to his Danish Viking bodyguard, or possibly brought back by a returning Christian pilgrim.

Pentz is pretty sure the earring was made in Cairo. Other similar crescent-shaped earrings we have in museum collections come from there, he told DR.

The earring would have also been commonly worn on a headband by both men and women.

So, it could have belonged to Halvdan or Are! Stranger things have happened!

See the original post:

Did the author of the Viking graffiti in the Hagia Sophia drop a priceless ear-ring in a field in west Jutland? - The Post - The Copenhagen Post -...

Cyberpunk 2077 released last year complete with NVIDIA DLSS support, but it never officially got updated to the new versions of NVIDIA's technology that have been released since December 2020. These DLSS versions, however, can be added to the game via unofficial means.

A new video shared by Digital Dreams showcases the role-playing game developed by CD Projekt RED running with DLSS 2.3, more than 50 mods, and the highest possible settings. Needless to say, the game continues to be one of the best-looking open-world games released in recent times.

GOG to Refocus on Core Offering of Hand-Picked Selection of Games After Negative Financial Results

Cyberpunk 2077 has yet to make its debut on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. This week, CDPR confirmed that the new versions of the game are on track for a Q1 2022 release, and are currently undergoing testing.

With Cyberpunk 2077, we're currently at the test stage, so we have to be sure that what we are releasing is in a very, very good shape and this requires substantial effort since the next-generation version includes graphical updates exploiting the potential of the new consoles along with a set of system-level improvements. I'm talking about systems that are general to the game, not a revolution, but still, they can interact with other systems so we have to be sure that there is no regression whatsoever and mostly for this, we need some extra time for testing.

Cyberpunk 2077 is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure story set in Night City, a megalopolisobsessed with power, glamour and body modification. You play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality. You can customize your characters cyberware, skillset and playstyle, and explore a vast city where the choices you make shape the story and the world around you.

Continue reading here:

Cyberpunk 2077 Unofficial DLSS 2.3 Implementation Showcased Together With More Than 50 Mods in New Gorgeous 4K Video - Wccftech

(Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images)

It is that time of year once again. The 2022 Hall of Fame ballot has officially been announced, with 30 players hoping to get the call that means immortality. Ballots are already starting to trickle in, and while it will be weeks until the official results are announced, hope springs eternal.

Of course, that hope is a lot stronger for some players on the ballot. For the vast majority of the 13 newcomers, the hope is to just get a vote or two, an acknowledgment that their careers were solid enough to warrant consideration. Enshrinement may not happen, but that does not change how solid of a career these players had.

For four other players, this is the last chance to be voted in. They have come to the end of their ten years on the ballot, and would need to be inducted by the Veterans Committee otherwise. The rest of the players may have more time, but no one wants to wait until the last moment to get that call.

This year, 30 players are hoping to get the call from the Hall of Fame to become immortalized. Lets take a closer look at the ballot.

One and done

Mark Teixeira, Carl Crawford, Jake Peavy, Justin Morneau, Prince Fielder, Joe Nathan, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Papelbon, A.J. Pierzynski, Ryan Howard

This is an impressive group of players. We have former Cy Young winners, All Stars, MVPs, and players that made history. We also have a group of players with almost no chance of having a second year on the ballot.

Maybe some of these players will get a vote or two. A couple of them may even come close to reaching that 5% threshold to remain on the ballot for another year. But that does not change the fact that their careers, no matter how noteworthy, are simply not Hall of Fame caliber.

Each of these players had a solid career worthy of being remembered. But the only way they should find their way into Cooperstown is with a ticket.

Continued here:

Breaking down the 2022 Hall of Fame ballot - Call to the Pen

|

With an intriguing new science-fiction take on the storied monstrous concept, Hulk #1 brings forth an unexpected antagonist and twists the property in what seems like a new direction. Oddly enough, given the events of the horror-themed previous series, this is a smart continuation, not a reboot.

The Hulk has caused great concern for Doctor Strange, and the most powerful heroes of the Marvel Universe after an incident in El Paso led to fatalities. Bruce Banner has put his mind to a solution for this, and well, it's different. As revealed in this issue, he plans to make sure the Hulk is controllable and won't be a problem for anyone. The question is, along the way, how much damage is acceptable to complete this plan?

Donny Cates has developed an innovative concept that relies heavily on the deep explorations of the Hulk's psyche and how his functional immortality works from Immortal Hulk. That's no mean feat given the drastic thematic shift this series represents, so that deserves some credit. Likewise, the strong visual presentation of Ryan Ottley, Frank Martin, and Cory Petit invoke the Dale Keown era and is a great visual contemporary to some of the Javier Garron Avengers run as well.

The ideas are big and bold, but the execution doesn't give you quite enough plot, nor a number of plot points that are unlike what has been done before. The car's going in an interesting direction, but it hasn't gotten quite far enough to say it's going well. RATING: HONORABLE MENTION.

Hulk #1By Donny Cates, Ryan Ottley'MAD SCIENTIST' PART 1 OF 6 The uncontrollable rage of the Hulk has reached an all-new level, and nobody including the Avengers is prepared to handle it. But is it really the Hulk that people should be afraid of, or is there something missing to this puzzle? Join the superstar creative team of Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley as they look to the stars for the next era of HULK!

Review by Hannibal Tabu

7.5/10

Dr. Bruce Banner goes back to his defense industry roots in applying science to weaponizing possibly his most dangerous idea yet.

View post:

Hulk #1 Review: This One is Intriguing - Bleeding Cool News

A HEARTBROKEN sister has shared the last message her fitness fanatic brother sent her before he died from Covid having refused the vaccine.

John Eyers, 42, didnt think that he needed to be vaccinated from the virus because he was fit and healthy believing that he would only suffer from a mild illness if he did catch it.

4

4

His twin sister Jenny McCann has now revealed the tragic final message he sent her as he lay in hospital begging her to not let doctors give up on him.

Johns devastated family were shocked when the dad-ofone was taken to hospital and died four weeks later.

Speaking to The Guardian, Jenny explained how she spoke to her twin, who was a keen mountain climber, before he was sedated and told him she loved him.

In his last message to his sister on July 27, John, from Southport, Merseyside, said Dont let them give up on me.

John came down with an infection while in hospital and his organs began to fail, with his sister describing him as the fittest and healthiest person she knew.

She previously said: "The only pre-existing health condition he had was the belief in his own immortality.

"He thought if he contracted Covid-19 he would be OK.

"He thought he would have a mild illness. He didn't want to put a vaccine on his body.

John started saying really crazy things that didnt make sense, about how people were only getting the vaccine for free McDonalds, and there was formaldehyde in it.

He kept saying: I wont be a guinea pig.

His death came just a month after he had been climbing mountains in Wales and wild camping in the countryside.

Jenny, from North West London, took up hervaccination in May but John decided not to get his.

She previously said her brother told his consultant he wished he was vaccinated before going onto a ventilator.

Writing online Jenny said her brother was "pumped full of every drug in the hospital" but he tragically passed away from the virus.

She said: "They threw everything at him. But eventually, the bedfellow of Covid-19, infection and organ failure, claimed his life.

"Before he was ventilated he told his consultant that he wished he had been vaccinated.

"That he wished he had listened. His death is a tragedy. It shouldn't have happened. He leaves a mum and dad, a sister (me), and a 19-year-old daughter."

John was described as a "fun uncle" who dressed up as Father Christmas on Christmas Day.

Jenny added: "My mum has lost her baby boy. My niece, her much loved and needed dad. This shouldn't have happened.

"My mum wants people to know about John. For his story to save someone's life. For pain and loss to drive people to get a vaccine."

John's daughter, Macey May Curran, 19, paid tribute to her dad back in August.

Macey said: "RIP my real-life superhero, my best friend, my dad.

"Please, please, please get your vaccine, I was one of them young girls who only got the vaccine to go on 'holidays' but now Ive seen the reality of what Covid actually does to us.

"Standing beside a hospital bed watching my dad and him not knowing Im by his side kills me.

"RIP my hero, I love and miss you always dad."

4

4

Read the original post:

Heartbreaking final text sent by fitness fanatic dad, 42, who died from Covid after refusing vaccine... - The Sun

2021 has been a fantastic year for YA. Later this week, our full list of favorites will be released, but first, we want to take the time to honor some debuts. Releasing your first novel into the world is terrifying, and especially so in such uncertain times. These authors deserve all the love for their bravery and amazing work! The TYF team has come together to create a list of the best 5 debuts of 2021.

Its true that authors become better with time, but its also true that debuts are often an authors most inventive, outside-the-box work. Its when all the ideas are flowing and their creativity is uninhibited. Each book on this list is truly something unique.

From the setting (an isolated and crumbling hall) to the characters (two sworn enemies who need each other survive) and the tension both inside the hall and out, this was an enormous debut. Eerie, thrilling, and intense, this book has ensured I will read everything Allison Saft writes. Brianna Robinson

Combining dark academia and thriller elements in a masterfully written novel, Faridah bk-ymd draws readers intoAce of Spades from the very first page. In a brilliantly gripping debut, bk-ymd portrays the insidiousness of anti-Blackness, especially in predominantly white spaces.

Chiamaka Adebayo is at the top of her social classHead Prefect of Niveus Private Academy for three years in a row, part of the popular crowd, Ivy League bound. Classmate Devon Richards is a scholarship student just trying to make it to graduation so he can pursue his musical dreams at Julliard. But their paths collide when both students are announced as senior prefects. Soon after, the two find themselves targets of an omniscient, anonymous figure named Acesa figure determined to expose their secrets to the entire school. And as Aces behavior becomes increasingly alarming, Chiamaka and Devon must team up to stop them before its too late. . . Sabrien Abdelrahman

Amelia Unabridgedby Ashley Schumacher is a devastatingly beautiful examination of grief, hope, and friendship. A gorgeous debut, Schumacher does not hold back her punches emotionally but also takes care to make sure her readers get reprieve from the heaviness of the story, providing the comfort of a library where magical whales fly through the shelves.Amelia Unabridgedis an honest and impactful glance into the complexity of tragedy and what follows. Gisselle Lopez

Come follow Victoria as she goes vampire hunting in New Orleans on a quest for immortality to save her dying father inVampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things,Margie Fustons debut novel. Fuston seamlessly blends the paranormal and contemporary genre with her skillful writing of magical realism.

A reason why this story stood out to me is that the main character Victoria is unlikeable. She is selfish and manipulative, as people can often become when jaded by the grief of losing a loved one. Her struggle is real and raw, and yes often ugly. But, it was refreshing to see an author care more about sharing a powerful story about finding hope even amidst terrible grief than creating a generic self-insert character for us to imagine ourselves making out with vampires. Meagan Stanley

Retellings are a dime a dozen these days, so its rare to find one thats truly reinventing the original. This YA genderbends The Phantom of the Opera and turns it into a fantasy. Isda is uniquewhen people sing, she can manipulate their memories. In this world, people like her are banned, sentenced to death as soon as theyre born. She was rescued and now lives below the Opera house, where she is not allowed contact with any human being besides her father figure. This debut has everything: stunning prose, the sweetest soft boy, an adorable romance, and a terrifying twist villain. I fell in love with this book and it has not let me go ever since. Abby Petree

Advertisement

Read more:

Best 5 Debuts of 2021 - The Young Folks

One of the most enduring and personal ways of showing love is making food for someone. There is something so magical and gentle about sitting up one day and going, Im gonna bake a pie for my friend and I, or I have that party next week, Im gonna bake some cookies, or even today was absolute garbage, some brownies might turn my mood around. Taking time and effort to make something delicious that is meant to be shared with other people (or just yourself) is so connecting and loving, and Yummy: A History of Desserts is a love letter to our favorite sweet treats, their creators, and where they come from.

In the debut graphic novel of Victoria Grace Elliot (balderdash! or, a tale of two witches), Yummy is a time travel tour of humankinds favorite desserts. Led by food sprites Peri, Fee, and Fada, the reader learns about a different dessert every chapter, starting from its earliest known origin and its transformations over the years, the science behind baked goods, and their importance in different cultures. Geared toward younger audiences but able to be enjoyed by anyone, the book is very approachable in its delivery accessible and easy to read, but never talks down to the reader. Peris enthusiasm for desserts and their history is very charming. When she is sharing facts and figures, her eyes are lit up and her smile is wide; it reminds me of whenever a friend would talk about their hobby or current creative passion, you just want to sit there and learn from them.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

The chapters are framed as part history lesson, part science lesson, part sheer appreciation, and part recipe which keeps the reader engaged with all the ways information is presented. Each chapter starts with a map that acts as both an atlas and a timeline, as each location tracks a dish from its earliest appearance to the more modern versions we enjoy today. When its time to discuss the moments a famous dessert was made, we are transported to Story Time, where Fee and Fada sit on a rug while Peri literally reads from a book and shares a sometimes cheeky, sometimes heartfelt story of a certain dessert, whether it is the (alleged) origin of the waffle cone to the role mooncakes played in ancient China. When the book highlights a specific icon in dessert innovation, for example Antonio Latini in the Ice Cream chapter, Fee dresses up as him and answers questions in Interview Corner, bringing someone people might not have known (like me) to life, instead of just talking about him in a passive way. The active way the information is portrayed doesnt stop there; most chapters end with a recipe that is easy to follow and just as engaging as the rest of the book, as if to say, okay, you read about this enough, lets try making it now!

The food science portions are also a treat. Led by Fada, they tell you everything you need to know about the ways different leaveners work, the way moisture in sugar plays a role in cookie baking, and the importance of butter for flaky pie crust. While the whole book is great, the science portions are when, I think, the genius really comes alive in terms of presenting information. Elliot could have made terms too lofty, illustrations too complex, and the payoff nonexistent for these sections, but she used words anyone could understand, kept the depictions consistent with the rest of the book, and actually explained why these things are good to know for baking.

While the book is a real delight, I will say that I would have appreciated a table of contents at the beginning. Though nothing lessened my enjoyment in reading it, a table of contents would have made for an easier flow and would give me a chance to know what was coming. I admit there were moments when I began reading where I thought that the whole book was going to be about one specific dessert, and experienced a startle of sorts when I learned that wasnt the case. Again, nothing dampened by ability to read this book; a table of contents would have made an already great thing even greater.

The art and design is, in one word, adorable. In more words than that, its colorful and fun and welcoming and bright. There is a really approachable, almost doodle-like quality to the character designs that makes the whole book feel like something casual, like something your friend would draw in the margins of a notebook. The designs of the food sprites are distinct and simply darling. The fact that they are illustrated to be the same size or smaller than the desserts is truly whimsical, like theres a world full of them that we arent privy to. With every starry eye, confident pose and wide smile, everyones personalities and passions shine through, and you cant help but smile along with them. Additionally, the little wings on their backs are some of the cutest things Ive seen all year.

The history is only amplified through the art. When a specific person is highlighted, there is a portrait of them that corresponds to the art style popular with that time period. Whether its a bust of a Roman, a silhouette of a French nobleman, or a framed photograph of a contemporary American, the art style walks hand-in-hand with the rest of material.

The illustrations of the desserts are where Elliot shines the brightest. She makes every single dish and ingredient look inviting you can almost taste it from the page. All of the desserts look distinct from each other, as well. It would have been so easy to draw one kind of cake or one kind of cookie and have that represent the dessert and move on, but no, she made sure to draw each and every one a certain way to highlight how they vary depending on region, ingredients, and time period. Whether something called for honey, nuts, fruit, or sprinkles, each bit and piece was drawn with care and intent. A personal favorite of mine was how glossy she made honey look. Along with the illustrations and speech bubbles, nearly every page is wrapped in swirly ribbons, which sort of acts as a way to track the dialogue and which way to read. While there is a lot happening per page, it doesnt get chaotic and overwhelming, it just stays vibrant and enriching.

From the first couple of pages, it is clear that Yummy was well-researched and loved in its creation. I was pleasantly surprised and enthused during my reading of it how far back the research went. Sometimes, the history of desserts (or anything for that matter) can skew towards only focusing on modern history, starting when an object got big in the west and just calling it a day. Not here. This book celebrates the more accurate origins of the dishes and how nearly all of them had their roots in places like India, Egypt, Latin America, Iran, and more. A component of the material that I always got excited to see was how the desserts changed based on access to money and technology. In almost every chapter, Elliot makes note of how certain desserts were only accessible to wealthy folks for a time due to sugar being expensive, or how people in different regions only had access to honey or fruit or whatever was local to them. This information served as a way to dispel whatever myths there might be about everyone having access to the same stuff and acting as a reminder that the world is not a monolith.

Additionally, Elliot acknowledges the ways colonization, imperialism, and enslavement led to adaptations and regional variations of dishes, shedding light on the darker parts of food history. Though certainly not pretty, I greatly appreciated that she did not shy away from bringing those points up, as leaving those parts out would be unproductive at best and revisionist at worst. And, like everything in the book, these topics are discussed in a manner that can be understood by all, especially the younger audiences the book is perfect for. I also appreciated the very nice Acknowledgement page at the end of the book where she makes note of the indigenous land on which she was writing.

Maybe its because Im a cancer sign who is prone to be emotional, or it could be because of this time of year, but I must admit that there were times reading this book that I teared up. I think that, for a lot of us, it is easy to forget that whole civilizations existed before us, that people from thousands of years ago had the same problems and wants and needs as us. Folks have always had a need and want to make things, build things, bake things. We arent the first people who woke up one day and decided to make something delicious for another person or a special gathering or just because. I dont know, there is something about learning the history of a craft (or a dessert in this case) and hearing that people have been doing it forever in some capacity that makes me feel a deep, profound connection to a time in which Ive never lived and to people I will never see.

There is an odd immortality in the art of creation that binds us all together long after they, or we, are gone. And Yummy is a testament to that immortality in the way it says, look, look at how people are still making the things you came up with; its not going anywhere.

I am very, very glad this book exists, and I am so looking forward to Elliots upcoming installment, Yummy: A History of Tasty Experiments.

Yummy: A History of Desserts is a sweet and informative tribute to the goodies we love

Yummy: A History of Desserts

A funny, sweet, and heartfelt history lesson about desserts that is perfect for all ages, especially the younger folks in your life.

Great art

Accessible information presentation

Thoroughly researched

True global perspective

Could have benefitted from a table of contents

Like what we do here at AIPT? Consider supporting us and independent comics journalism by becoming a patron today! In addition to our sincere thanks, you can browse AIPT ad-free, gain access to our vibrant Discord community of patrons and staff members, get trade paperbacks sent to your house every month, and a lot more. Click the button below to get started!

More:

'Yummy: A History of Desserts' is a sweet and informative tribute to the goodies we love AIPT - AIPT