Category Archives: Golden Rule

For performers at Theatre in the Park in Shawnee, Kansas, the show must go on. Thats true even as the Kansas City metro area deals with a weeks-long heat wave that could last all summer.

The outdoor performers are no stranger to the heat. To survive, they live by the golden rule: drink lots of water.

Gracie King, an ensemble member in the companys most recent production of Zombie Prom, said that the cast is careful to take precautions.

We have air-conditioned dressing rooms, which is always super helpful, King said. We drink a lot of water; we make sure that we're hydrated; we stay in the dressing rooms if we can. Once you get ready for the show and you really get that adrenaline pumping pre-show, you don't really notice anything.

King said the audience might not know just how much the cast members are doing behind the scenes during the show. She drinks a gallon of water each day before entering the theater to prepare for her showtime workout.

I make sure I'm eating enough, because sometimes I forget how much of a workout it is, she said. We look like we're keeping our cool on stage and look super put together, but it is quite a workout running around. Everyone is doing a million things backstage as well, but it's fun.

Zombie Prom is a typical high school romance one that includes nuclear waste, a lovable monster and some slapstick comedy.

Ryan Russell plays Jonny Warner the zombie in the show. His background in sports helped him adjust to rehearsals and shows outside in the heat.

It definitely helped that I grew up with a sports background before I got into theater, Russell said. I would argue that [theater] is more intense because you're having to move and also sing. And I think that makes it almost harder than playing sports out in the summer sun.

For first-time-director Emily Vargo, putting on an outdoor show meant trusting her creative team and figuring out how to adjust the special effects for the weather.

Ryan, when he enters as a zombie, has a very special entrance and there's a lot of smoke and fog and lights and wonderful effects that happen, Vargo said. In an outdoor show those effects can't necessarily happen, especially fog, because of the air. So he's in kind of an enclosed space that we weren't aware about right away. We kind of learned that as we went.

Savannah Hawley

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KCUR 89.3

Though the sun goes down during the show, that doesnt mean the cast gets to cool down. To play the zombie, Russell has to wear layers of make-up that take nearly two hours and the use of Neutrogena wipes, coconut oil and Dawn dish soap to remove.

I thought that would be an issue because I sweat a ton, but the makeup is waterproof and it really sticks it's hard to sweat off, Russell said. I'm not really sure what's in it, but it's magic. I've got my arms covered in green and my face, neck, ears, all of that.Making sure no equipment falls off during the show is the job of the stage crew. Jessica Dobbs is an audio crew member for Theatre in the Park.

Making sure no equipment falls off during the show is the job of the stage crew. Jessica Dobbs is an audio crew member for Theatre in the Park.

In addition to starting two hours earlier than the cast in order to set up all the instruments and microphones, she uses as much microphone tape as possible to ensure the equipment doesnt fall off during the show.

Dobbs says the audio crew has had to make interesting adjustments to the technology to make sure it doesnt get sweat-related water damage.

We put condoms over the mics, and a cotton ball to collect the sweat, so they stay waterproof and sweat goes in there, Dobbs said. We already broke three mic packs because of sweat.

Caleb Curtis works the lighting for Theatre in the Park. Doing an outdoor show forces the crew to work odd hours to adjust the lights.

This is only my second time working in an outdoor theater all the work I've done everywhere else has always been indoors, Curtis said. Let me tell you, I'm never going to complain about a theater being too cold ever again.

After Zombie Prom closed Saturday, Curtis, Dobbs and the rest of the stage crew were up late converting the set for Nickelodeons The Spongebob Musical, which opens this Friday.

The SpongeBob Musical follows SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and the citizens of Bikini Bottom as they face a total wipeout and a hero rises to the occasion.

SpongeBob director Guy Gardner says the heat added an extra element the cast and crew had to be prepared for when rehearsing the show. Though the performances happen at dusk, rehearsals were typically scheduled during the hottest part of the day. Thats changed to avoid the mid-day heat.

Caleb Curtis

We start a rehearsal inside during the morning time, then everyone has a little break and they move outside at about 3 or 4 p.m. and that's when we start our long process outside, Gardner says. Luckily, we've been able to build our rehearsal schedule that they can come out a little later than normally the cast would get out here.

For each show, the advice is the same: drink water constantly so youre prepared to move.

We've been talking to the cast and telling them essentially to hydrate starting yesterday. We have a very high energy, large dance show, Gardner said. With every musical you want to make sure that everyone is hydrated and safe. With this one there are a lot of costume changes and there's a lot of running.

The heat might not let up anytime soon, but audience members shouldnt be dissuaded. The SpongeBob Musical runs from July 29-Aug. 6, and Gardner says to expect a fun show that will make you forget about the scorching weather.

King tells prospective showgoers that the low temperature of the day is closer to what theyll feel during showtimes.

Our shows start at 8:30 p.m., so the sun is behind the stage, behind the treeline at that point, King says. So it's actually pleasant. As soon as the sun goes down, it feels really nice out.

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For these outdoor performers, the Kansas City heat becomes part of the show - KCUR

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The World Meteorological Organization, an agency of the United Nations, defines a heat wave broadly as a period of unusually hot weather over a region persisting for at least two consecutive days during the hot period of the year. They differ from warm spells, which can occur at any time of the year, it says.

The definition of a heat wave varies across countries. In most parts of the United States, temperatures must be above the historical average in an area for two or more days before the label is applied.

In Britain, the Met Office, the United Kingdoms national weather service, classifies a hot spell as an official heat wave when at least three consecutive days have temperatures that meet or exceed a specific threshold.

To account for a warming climate, the Met Office recently changed the threshold. Where it once calculated a threshold based on temperatures from 1981 to 2010, it now relies on temperatures from 1991 to 2020.

In France, a heat wave is defined officially as a level of very high heat that persists through the day and night for at least three consecutive days. In Paris, that level is said to be when the daytime temperature, in the shade, exceeds 31 degrees Celsius (about 88 Fahrenheit), and when it is at least 21 degrees Celsius (about 70 Fahrenheit) at night.

Blisteringly high temperatures are becoming more common on every continent, and climate scientists have little doubt that the burning of fossil fuels is a significant driver. Some of the heat extremes that the world has experienced in recent years would have been virtually impossible without the influence of human-induced climate change, scientists have found.

The main reason for this is simply that, as heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere cause average temperatures to rise around the globe, the range of possible temperatures in many places shifts upward, too, making warmer days more likely. In cities, heat-absorbing roads, buildings and paved surfaces can also contribute to hotter temperatures, while in rural areas, increased irrigation might instead make the land cooler.

Temperatures are on average about 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) higher than they were in the late 19th century, before emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases became widespread. So extreme heat takes off from a higher starting point.

But beyond that, there are other factors that may be at play. Scientists, for example, are studying the links between heat waves and the jet stream, the river of air in the upper atmosphere at middle latitudes. A recent study found that heat waves in Europe increased in frequency and intensity over the past four decades, and linked the increase at least in part to changes in the jet stream.

The researchers found that many European heat waves occurred when the jet stream had temporarily split in two, leaving an area of weak winds and high pressure air between the two branches that is conducive to the buildup of extreme heat.

Scientists are working to pin down how the meandering of the jet stream, which has long shaped weather patterns for billions of people, might be changing in this warming era. One factor that is being taken into consideration is the rapid warming of the Arctic, which narrows the difference in temperatures between the northern and southern bands of the Northern Hemisphere. But how exactly this might be affecting extreme weather is still a matter of debate.

Rising temperatures can put many at risk for heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Heres guidance from experts on how to stay cool during the swelter even without air-conditioning.

The most important thing is to avoid heat-related illness.

Staying cool and hydrating often are the two most important things you can do to avoid feeling sick and discomfort when its extremely hot. If you dont have an air-conditioning unit, or if your A.C. has been on nonstop and you still feel hot, here are ways to cool your body and home:

Spritz your skin with a mist of cool or room-temperature water.

Block out the windows in your home with a blanket or a darker sheet during the day to keep the heat out.

If you dont have an air-conditioner, keep your windows open and run fans to circulate the air.

Wipe your forehead with a cool cloth.

Avoid strenuous exercise outdoors if possible.

Put ice cubes in your water bottle, especially if youre outdoors.

If you do plan to exercise outside, or need to exert yourself outdoors for work, drink a slushie beforehand or douse your head in cold water. Cold showers can also help you cool down.

Keep an eye out for signs of heat exhaustion.

For adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to watch out for symptoms of heat exhaustion, which include heavy sweating; cold, pale and clammy skin; a fast, weak pulse; nausea or vomiting; muscle cramps; fatigue; dizziness; or headaches and fainting. If you are experiencing these symptoms, sip water, move to a cooler location if possible, loosen your clothes, try to take a cool bath or place cool, wet cloths on your body. Seek medical attention immediately if you vomit or if your symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour.

There are a few tips to keep in mind to stay hydrated during a heat wave, when people should be especially vigilant about keeping themselves safe and healthy.

1. Drink lots of fluids. The golden rule of hydration is to drink when youre thirsty. But if you, like many others, find it hard to motivate yourself to drink plain old water, you can rest easy. All sorts of drinks are effective at providing your body with fluids, not just water. Juices, milk, teas and even sodas can all be great sources of hydration.

2. Limit caffeine (if youre sensitive) and alcohol. If youre sensitive to caffeine, or havent had it in a while, it may be best to steer clear of coffee and energy drinks, said Kelly Hyndman, a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who studies kidney function and fluid retention.

Its also probably best to steer clear of beer during a heat wave. While it may be tempting to crack a cold one, research has shown that alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing your body to lose more water.

It may also be best to not drink only water. When you sweat, you not only lose fluids, but you also excrete salts. So replenishing those salts and electrolytes is also critical; you can do that with sports drinks, or through the foods you eat.

3. Eat hydrating foods. Any food or drink that has fluid in it will be hydrating, and fresh fruits and vegetables hit the mark as they contain a high percentage of water as well as other nutrients that will benefit your overall health.

Watermelons, peaches, berries, grapes and oranges are all great candidates. Juicy vegetables like cucumbers, celery and olives are also full of fluid. Meals that are liquid-based, like soups or porridges, can also help you stay hydrated.

4. Avoid foods that are hard to digest. Metabolizing food is an energy-demanding process that can raise the bodys temperature. While it is absolutely not good for your health to stop eating, heat wave or not, some foods are harder to digest than others. These foods are thermogenic, meaning they create heat inside your body during the intensive digestive process.

All forms of protein, for example, including meats, fish and eggs, are highly thermogenic especially red meat. Spicy foods containing cayenne and ginger are also thermogenic, as are sweet potatoes and whole grains.

5. Take care with exercise. Exercising in alarmingly high temperatures means that youll lose fluids at a faster rate than normal. To stay safe and adequately hydrated, follow some common sense guidelines. Try not to exercise at the hottest points of the day. Know your limits, and be aware of how hard you are pushing. If things feel strenuous, thats a sign to take it down a notch.

High temperatures can wreak havoc on sleep. Under ideal conditions, your body temperature starts to fall by a couple of degrees about one to two hours before bedtime in preparation for sleep and it continues to decline while sleeping, said Leslie Swanson, a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry in the Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. This internal cooling effect helps us achieve the deep, restorative stage of sleep known as slow-wave sleep.

But when the ambient temperature is high outside, it prevents our body temperature from falling as quickly to where we want it to be in order to facilitate sleep, Dr. Swanson said. This not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but it can also cause frequent awakenings during the night.

While it may be difficult to drift off when both you and your room are warm, there are things you can do to snooze more soundly.

Do what you can to cool down your bedroom. We tend to get more deep sleep in a cool bedroom, said Philip Gehrman, a clinical psychologist at the Penn Sleep Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He even noted that for some people, once summer hits and they crank up the A/C, they sleep better because theyre keeping their bedroom cooler than they would in spring or fall. (Wirecutter, a New York Times Company that reviews and recommends products, has tips for keeping a room cool on a budget.)

Get the air in your room moving. If you dont have access to air conditioning, use a fan to help the air circulate in your room. Increasing the airflow across the surface area of your body helps to offload heat, said Dr. Justin Fiala, a pulmonary critical care and sleep medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine.

Stay hydrated. If you cant lower the temperature of your room your body will turn to another method for cooling you down: sweating. Keep some water by your bedside to make sure you can replenish the liquid youre losing. Youre actually going to lose a lot of your water volume just through sweat, Dr. Fiala said.

Use lightweight bedding. Though you might be tempted to forego any sort of blanket in the hot weather, the best way to help your body regulate its temperature is to use a light sheet or summer comforter, Dr. Fiala said. Make sure its one you can easily move around under, though, so you can still kick out your foot or another limb to help cool down.

Avoid a cold shower right before bed. While dousing in cold water will help your body lower its temperature, it likely wont help you with the quality of your sleep. It has not been shown to be effective and it can somewhat be stimulating, Dr. Fiala said. Cold water can be a shock to the body, which might keep you awake for longer.

The symptoms of heat stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include a high body temperature (103 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39.5 degrees Celsius, or higher); hot, red, dry or damp skin; a fast and strong pulse; a headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion and passing out. If someone is experiencing these symptoms, call your local emergency number and try to move the person into the shade or a cooler area. You can also use cool cloths or a cool bath to lower the persons body temperature. Do not give him or her anything to drink.

Making matters more confusing, a compromised ability to make rational decisions can also be a symptom of heat stroke, so be aware that people with heat-related illnesses may deny feeling ill. Watch out for other signs that might hint at a problem, such as if they start stumbling or appear less coordinated than usual. Ask them if they have a headache, nausea or dizziness. Talk to them about a variety of topics to see if they exhibit symptoms of confusion.

If you suspect someone is having a problem with the heat, err on the side of caution and insist he or she gets into the shade or somewhere cool. You can also spray their body with cold water or rub them down with ice or a cold cloth. If they dont cool down quickly, seek medical advice.

Children should be instructed that if their friends ever start acting confused or mumbling in the heat, they should alert an adult.

For adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to watch out for symptoms of heat exhaustion, which include heavy sweating; cold, pale and clammy skin; a fast, weak pulse; nausea or vomiting; muscle cramps; fatigue; dizziness; or headaches and fainting.

If you are experiencing these symptoms, sip water, move to a cooler location if possible, loosen your clothes, or try to take a cool bath or place cool, wet cloths on your body.

Seek medical attention immediately if you vomit or if your symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour.

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of extreme heat. A majority of heat-related deaths in the United States occur among people who are older than 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so those individuals need to be especially vigilant amid rising temperatures.

As we age, our ability to sweat and to dilate blood vessels to cool our body declines, said Dr. Basil Eldadah, a supervisory medical officer in the division of geriatrics and clinical gerontology at the National Institute on Aging. Additionally, the ability to handle stressors such as hot weather could be further compromised if someone already had other medical issues, said Dr. Sharon A. Brangman, the chair of the department of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y.

When you add those medical problems plus heat, it can create a situation where your body just cant handle it, she said

Dr. Brangman said that older people who were dealing with a heat-related illness might feel dizzy, lightheaded or flushed and could experience nausea or confusion. They may have an elevated or weakened pulse, and their skin may feel dry and hot to the touch.

If theyre darker-skinned, they may look darker than their normal color, she said. If they have lighter skin, they may get very red and pink in the face.

Other symptoms of heat-related illness include cramps, swelling in the feet and rashes, Dr. Eldadah said.

Signs of a heat stroke include a body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius), and symptoms including fainting, confusion, lack of sweating and a slowing heartbeat.

Older adults experiencing any of these symptoms when its hot out should seek immediate medical care.

To prevent heat-related illness, older adults should avoid going outside during the hottest part of the day, and should stay in air-conditioned environments as much as possible. This is especially the case during hot and humid days, when the cooling effect we get from sweating is reduced, Dr. Eldadah said.

If your home doesnt have air-conditioning, keep the shades down, use a fan to blow air around, take showers to stay cool, wear loosefitting clothing and take it easy, even if you are in good health. This isnt the time to go out and mow your lawn, Dr. Brangman said.

You should also refrain from consuming alcohol, sugary drinks and caffeine, which can lead to dehydration. And, of course, you should drink plenty of water.

It is also important to be aware that heat can interact with certain medications; people with heart disease who are on a diuretic, for example, could be at risk of getting dehydrated, Dr. Brangman said. Speak to your doctor to see if any of the medications you are taking should be adjusted when its hot.

Caregivers have an especially important role in preventing heat-related illnesses in the older adults they look after:

Check in frequently and ensure that the living space of those under your care is temperate. Dont blast the air conditioning, either, as the opposite problem hypothermia can become a concern.

If the space cannot be made sufficiently cool, consider moving your loved one to a cooling center be it a mall, a library or another cool place.

If needed, sponge down those you are looking after with cool water and make sure their clothes are loosefitting.

Encourage those in your care to drink plenty of water.

Caregivers should keep in mind that people who have dementia or Alzheimers disease may not understand when theyre thirsty or may not know how to quench their thirst or get a drink, Dr. Brangman said. So they need extra supervision to make sure that they are getting enough hydration.

Most of all, caregivers should remain vigilant and be ready to act fast, as it may take as few as 10 minutes for a bodys temperature to go up to a dangerous level, said Dr. Brangman. If the person you are looking after displays any symptom of heat distress, call 911 and go to a hospital right away.

Young children are especially vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Parents and caregivers should monitor their activity during hot weather and plan activities that are less likely to cause them to overheat, like running through sprinklers or playing in a pool. They should also make sure their children are wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing, using sunscreen and regularly hydrating.

If your children are playing outside of the water, try to keep them in the shade and consider bringing a spray bottle to spritz their skin (and your own).

When it is humid and at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit (or 32 degrees Celsius), children should not play outside for more than 30 minutes at a time. Keep babies under 12 months out of the sun as much as possible.

Teens tend to be more active than adults in the summer and should plan activities like hanging out in a park before noon, when the heat will be less intense, said Dr. James Mark, an emergency medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

What are the signs of heat exhaustion in children?

If a child develops heat exhaustion, she may start to feel dizzy and nauseated, suffer muscle cramps or begin vomiting. Her skin may feel cold and clammy to touch.

If you observe these symptoms in a child, bring her to a cooler place; ask her to sit still or lie down; remove excess clothing; apply a cool, wet cloth or water to her skin and give her water to drink.

What are the signs of heat stroke in children?

In heat stroke, the skin is hot and dry instead of cold and clammy, and the child gets sleepy and maybe confused, said Dr. Claire McCarthy, a pediatrician at Boston Childrens Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Children with heat stroke may also experience a high fever or seizures.

Heat stroke can also creep up on young kids who havent exerted themselves at all.

Theyre either dressed too warmly in a hot environment, theyre left in a hot vehicle or in a room that doesnt have any circulation, theyre out at the beach wrapped up in the sun, said Dr. Tony Woodward, the medical director of emergency medicine at Seattle Childrens. All of those kinds of things can lead to their temperature going up very quickly.

As extreme heat blankets large swaths of the globe, pet owners have particular cause for concern.

If it feels too hot to you, its even worse for your pet, said Dr. Sarah Hoggan, medical director for VCA California Veterinary Specialists Murrieta.

Heat stroke can be fatal for dogs, cats and other animals but simple precautions can help them get through a heat wave. Heres what you need to know to keep your pets safe.

Keep pets inside as much as possible.

Ideally, keep your pet in air-conditioned spaces for as much of the day as you can. If you dont have air-conditioning, plop your pet near a fan. In general, you want to keep pets in an area that is not hotter than 80 degrees, Dr. Hoggan said.

If you need to leave your pets outside, make sure they have enough shade and fresh water. Do not leave them unsupervised for more than a few minutes, and make sure the animals are not left directly in the sun, said Dr. Jerry Klein, a chief veterinary officer at the American Kennel Club.

For animals that are normally kept in cages, like rabbits, positioning a small fan nearby or placing a frozen water bottle in the cage can help them cool themselves, said Dr. Hoggan.

Time your walks.

Especially in cities, where hot sidewalks and pavement can burn and blister paws, try to avoid the peak heat in the middle of the day. Set an alarm and walk your dog early in the morning, taking the shadiest route possible. Or save the stroll for after the sun goes down. You can also consider buying dog boots to protect your pets paws, said Dr. Lori Teller, incoming president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Be sure to not overexercise your dog, either. Take frequent breaks, and make sure to carry water with you.

Dont leave your pet alone in the car, even for a few minutes.

Hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion each year after they are left in parked vehicles. It doesnt matter if you crack the windows or park the car in the shade, the interior of a car can still reach 120 degrees Farenheit (or 49 degrees Celsius) in a matter of minutes, said Katie Wilkes, a spokesperson at the American Red Cross.

Every year, we say it, and every year people forget, Dr. Klein said.

Know which pets are at highest risk.

An animal that is very old, very young or has underlying health issues is at higher risk for heat stroke and exhaustion when the temperatures climb, Dr. Hoggan said. Dog and cat breeds with thicker coats, like huskies, golden retrievers and Siberian cats, are also at risk.

Animals with shorter snouts and smushed or squished faces like pugs, English and French bulldogs, Boston terriers and Persian and Himalayan cats are extremely susceptible to heat, Dr. Teller said. These pets are not able to pant as effectively, and so they can struggle to regulate their temperatures. Make sure they spend as little time outside as possible, she advised.

Know the signs of overheating, and act quickly.

If your pet is panting excessively, with thick, ropy saliva, acting unusually lethargic, vomiting or experiencing diarrhea, get care immediately. In dogs, signs of heat stroke also include a deep red tongue and brick red gums. For cats, open-mouth breathing can indicate that they are too hot.

Animals with heat exhaustion or heat stroke may also act confused, Dr. Teller said. Cats and dogs might not respond to their names or simple commands, and some may stagger. They may seem to not fully be with it, she said.

Dont delay care if your pet shows these signs. Moisten towels with cool water not ice water, which can cause blood vessels to constrict and wrap them around your pet. You can also buy cooling vests in pet stores, Dr. Teller said. Take your pet to a vet or animal hospital as soon as you can. The Red Cross has a pet safety app with instructions for animal first aid, as well as a directory of local animal emergency resources.

You dont want to make a mistake that could potentially cost you your pets life, said Ms. Wilkes.

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Heat Wave Safety: What You Need to Know - The New York Times

Not long ago, World Soccer Talk brought up five potential rule changes to soccer. By no means are these proposed by FIFA or any domestic league. In fact, those leagues look fairly set in stone.

However, every now and then, rumors start to stir up over how the governing bodies could modify the rule book. Small things like cooling breaks are one thing. Yet, instances of reducing the length of games to deciding major fixtures with golden goal appear to be just one step away.

This is not to say all changes are bad. In fact, there is an argument to be made that adding the number of substitutions in the games makes them more exciting. As seen in the English Premier League, teams now have access to five substitutions as opposed to the three from previous years. This allows players to be at full fitness, hypothetically making games more even and balanced. It also lessens the likely for injury, which continues to be a problem in the sport.

Then, there is something like VAR. Everyone loves to hate Video Assistant Referees because they are beyond picky when it comes to calls. Could this be changed in some way? Totally removed? Everyone has a take in that regard.

We want to know if you would change anything about the current rule set of soccer in the world. There are often small differences for each league. Yet, your favorite league may only allow three substitutions, for example.

What are the biggest changes, or smallest changes, for that matter, that you would make to soccer? Or, perhaps you think the game, as it is right now, is perfect. Hard to argue with how exciting games can be. Refereeing issues and controversy may just be part of it!

Use the comment section below to let us know.

PHOTO: Patrick Goosen/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images

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What rule changes would you like to see in the world of soccer? - World Soccer Talk

The NBAs brain trust has no qualms about brushing off their relationship with the CCP as business per usual.

In an exclusive audio leak obtained by Tucker Carlson Tonight, high-ranking executives from the Association ranging from commissioner Adam Silver to a team owner were caught unapologetically schmoozing up to their Chinese business partners and alluding to the unspoken zero criticism against China rule in the NBA.

The leaked audio featured Silver, Milwaukee Bucks owner / former Bill Clinton associate Marc Lasry and National Basketball Players Association lawyer Ron Klempner defending China, and even rehearsing the CCPs ultimatums, when discussing former Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedoms political messaging against China.

Klempner voiced that the Association had been monitoring political slogans on the court against China and claiming that [Chinas] concern right now is not so much what you are saying off the court but what it is that youre saying on the court when you step onto the court.

Lasry forwardly reiterated that Chinas golden rule is to not speak ill of the countrys regime during games, which are often broadcasted before 500 million fans in China.

LEBRON JAMES IS UNAPPRECIATIVE BILLIONAIRE, ENES KANTER FREEDOM TELLS TOMI

Chinas taken a very aggressive stance, which is if you want to b***h about us, youre out which I get it, its business, Lasry said.

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Kanter Freedom, who has become the prominent voice for human rights activism in the Association has long decried the NBA for criticizing the U.S. for supposed injustices, while turning a blind eye to Chinas activity in the Xinjian region, which permits slavery of Uyghur Muslims.

Kanter has attested to being on the NBAs blacklist because of his anti-CCP platform, including court appearances wearing shoes with slogans such asFree Tibet and Slave Labor on them.

Silvers own leaked comment spoke bluntly on the unspoken zero criticism rule for the sake of doing business.

Youre not breaking any rule in terms of the shoes, Silver said in the audio bit to Kanter. Theres no rule Im aware of that youre violating now. To me you know. I think its also; look, at the end of the day, were also a business.

Kanter has additionally criticized LeBron James and Nike for promoting causes such as BLM while doing business with China. He spoke with Tucker on how the NBAs hypocrisy is once again on full display.

This is the evidence of how a 100 percent American-made company is run by the Chinese dictatorship, Kanter said to Tucker. And wake up America. This is the league that you have been supporting and watching. Enough is enough. And this is unacceptable.

They are mad because finally, someone from the inside I played 11 years in this league, Ive finally exposed them, and Im saying it again. Enough is enough, Kanter added.

WATCH TOMI LAHRENS INTERVIEW WITH ENES KANTER FREEDOM:

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NBA Execs Caught Bowing To China In Leaked Audio Obtained By 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' - OutKick

Odds are that you wash your hair every day. Like brushing your teeth, its something youve mastered (we hope) and that fits seamlessly into your daily routine. But are you doing it right? Probably not.

Trichologist and hair expert Shab Reslan says there is very much a right way to wash your hair and that the common myths around shampoo and overall scalp care are doing us all a massive disservice. We tapped Reslan to help us debunk them and get our hair health back in order.

This is probably the biggest myth of them all. Stylists routinely ask their clients how often they wash their hair to get a sense of their hair-care routines at home.

If you complain of dry hair, youll probably be told youre washing your hair too often. If your complaint is that your hair is too oily, you may also be told the cause is overwashing, as some believe that shampooing too often strips the hair and causes oil glands to overproduce. Reslan is quick to bust this myth when discussing hair habits with her clients, encouraging them to focus on the right products rather than on the right frequency.

The golden rule of shampoo frequency is to use the correct products based on your washing habits, says Reslan. Reslan suggests alternating between a daily shampoo and a weekly clarifying shampoo, no matter your routine, and incorporating a scalp exfoliant to maintain a healthy scalp environment or microbiome over time.

If youre someone who has hair that becomes oily quickly after washing (usually the case with fine or thin hair) then washing every day is necessary for your hair's health and appearance. For those who do tend to wash their hair daily or even every other day, I recommend using a very gentle cleansing shampoo that will not dry out, irritate or overstrip the scalp microbiome. Washing every day or every other day with gentle shampoos can maintain a healthy scalp, adds Reslan.

You might notice sulfate-free on labels when you browse the hair-care aisle. It isnt a marketing tactic sulfates are actually harmful to your scalp and can interfere with healthy hair growth.

But what do sulfates do? Theyre the ingredients that make shampoos easy to lather and foam in order to better remove buildup and oil when you wash your hair. The most common sulfates youll see in shampoos are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate.

Sulfate-free shampoos are free of harsh cleansers such as sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate which can irritate the scalp and affect hair growth over time, says Reslan. The irritation can cause inflammation at the root of your hair and make it difficult for healthy hair to grow out. Its the same reason you want to keep your scalp clear of build-up. Continued blockage at the root from irritation or build-up can weaken and thin-out hair over time.

Reslan recommends avoiding shampoos that contain sulfates. On the flip-side, she notes that sulfate-free and some of the gentler shampoos on the market these days are simply not enough for an effective cleanse.

This is why she is adamant about adding a scalp cleanse treatment before your shampoo; youll be amazed at how easy it is to shampoo your hair once removing any buildup that was there in the first place. For extra cleansing power and better coverage, emulsify shampoo between your hands and add a little water before applying directly to your roots.

Have you ever tried a shampoo meant for color-treated hair and wondered why your virgin hair looked so good? Shampoo for color-treated hair is formulated as gentler shampoo to preserve ones color treatment from the salon.

Color-treated shampoos are basically gentle cleansing shampoos designed to protect the cuticle barrier that protects the color molecules within the hair structure. Anyone can use them so long as they truly feel their roots are cleansed sufficiently, says Reslan.

If you are someone who struggles with having to wash your hair frequently due to oily roots, you may want to try using a shampoo meant for color-treated hair. It can help you extend your hair life another day or two without having to wash it, especially if you have fine or thin hair.

As Reslan makes clear, a scalp product is an absolute must in your hair routine to remove buildup.

To guarantee an effective shampoo, I recommend starting with a pre-shower scalp exfoliant to help break up product and sebum buildup and prepare the scalp for shampoo to help rinse everything out, says Reslan. The use of a clarifying shampoo weekly does not replace the need for a scalp treatment in your hair-care routine. Scalp treatments serve many other purposes than just removing excess oil, sebum, and buildup.

If you suffer from a dry or itchy scalp, using a gentle exfoliating treatment or scalp cleanse can help unclog hair follicles that might be trying to hang on to conditioning oils. (Without those oils, the scalp can form dandruff and become itchy.)

Using a scalp treatment also stimulates blood flow to your hair follicles, encouraging healthy hair growth and nourishment. Your scalp needs to be taken care of much like your skins microbiome to support healthy hair.

Double-shampooing your hair 100% works! Again, it all comes back to buildup and making sure youre getting an effective cleanse. Youll notice when you go to a salon, that your stylist will always double-wash your hair when youre at the sink.

For those who prefer to shampoo less frequently, its imperative to incorporate a clarifying and deeper cleansing shampoo or scalp exfoliant into their routine to avoid the damaging effects on hair growth from chronically clogged follicle openings on the scalp, says Reslan, recommending shampooing your hair twice every time you wash your hair, focusing the shampoo on your roots and massage gently in circular motions to truly help remove buildup.

After shampooing twice, Reslan says its important to thoroughly squeeze out any excess water (or even grab a towel) before applying conditioner as this will help increase absorption. Rinse out all the conditioner only when your hair no longer has the slippery finish, then rinse with cold water to close your cuticles for maximum smoothness and shiny hair.

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How Not To Wash Your Hair: 5 Common Myths - Fatherly

The day the music died was the day that Don McLeans classic tune American Pie was born. Fifty years later, the song still captures the political, social, and economic issues of the early 1970s that have recently resurfaced five decades since.

In a new documentary titled The Day the Music Died, Don McLean reveals the secrets of American Pie, one of the most iconic songs in rock history. For the first time, McLean takes viewers through the meaning of the lyrics line by line, which journalists have been trying to decipher since its release in 1971. I told Don, Its time for you to reveal what 50 years of journalists have wanted to know, producer Spencer Proffer said. This film was a concerted effort to raise the curtain.

The event that first triggered McLean to write American Pie was the tragic death of Buddy Holly, McLeans childhood idol who died in a plane crash along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson (AKA The Big Bopper). Parts of the song were also inspired by McLeans youth working as a paper boy, and the death of his father when he was only 15 years old.

The wreckage of the plane crash that killed rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper on February 3, 1959 outside of Clearlake, Iowa. (Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images)

The loss of his father threw McLean deep into music. He began performing in Brooklyns Greenwich Village as a teen. Some of his early influences inspired the simple, camp-fire song sound of the American Pie chorus.

Others shared how the song influenced their lives, including the songs producer Ed Freeman. For me, American Pie is the eulogy for a dream that didnt take place We were witness to the death of the American dream, he said.

The main catalyst for the song was the riots, wars, and acts of violence that defined the 60s. From the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the anti-war movement to Helter skelter and fallout shelters, nearly every aspect of social life was in turmoil. McLean synthesized the advanced state of psychic shock throughout America in the lyrics of his song.

Don McLean, circa 1973. (Photo Credit: Chris Walter / WireImage)

While other artists were also writing about the disillusionment of the American dream, McLeans song stood out in one major way: its unconventional length. American Pie greatly exceeded the three-minute golden rule of radio, running for eight minutes and 42 seconds. American Pie remained the longest song to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 chart until Taylor Swifts 10-minute version of All Too Well beat the 50-year streak in 2021.

Today, McLeans song is a nostalgic anthem for those who lived through the turbulent events of the 60s. It also speaks to todays generation who have experienced similar events like Black Lives Matter, the 2020 capitol riots, and the rise of Internet misinformation.

Don McLean receiving his star on the Walk of Fame in 2021 (Photo Credit: Lisa OConnor / AFF USA via. Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0)

More from us:Ritchie Valens Fear of Flying Came From a Plane Crash That Happened Over His School

Its exciting to know that something that happened 50 years ago can resonate to later generations, The Day the Music Died producer Spencer Proffer told The Guardian.Through listening to the song, people get a glimpse into what life was like then and what it came to be today. The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLeans American Pie is available to watch on Paramount +.

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50 Years Later, Don McLean Has Revealed the Meaning Behind American Pie - The Vintage News

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 3-2 to take the following actions:

With respect to the 14a-8 amendments, the SEC is proposing to amend three of the substantive exclusions on which companies rely to omit shareholder proposals from their proxy materials, which will arguably make it harder for companies to omit shareholder proposals under the relevant provisions.

Concerning the amendments to the rule governing proxy voting advice, the SEC is rescinding certain rules that were adopted by the SEC in 2020, including a rule that effectively would have required ISS and Glass Lewis to adopt and publicly disclose written policies and procedures designed to ensure that companies subject to such proxy voting advice had access to such advice at or before the time when such advice is disseminated to the proxy advisory firms clients, as well as a mechanism by which the clients of proxy advisory firms are provided with a means of becoming aware of any written responses by companies to the proxy voting advice.

A summary of each of these actions follows.

The proposed amendments to Rule 14a-8 would revise the following bases for exclusion:

For example, the staff historically has concurred in the exclusion, under Rule 14a-8(i)(10), of proposals seeking the adoption of a proxy access provision that allows an unlimited number of shareholders who collectively have owned 3 percent of the companys outstanding common stock for 3 years to nominate up to 25 percent of the companys directors, where the company had adopted a proxy access bylaw allowing a shareholder or group of up to 20 shareholders owning 3 percent of its common stock continuously for 3 years to nominate up to 20 percent of the board. Under the proposed amendment, because the ability of an unlimited number of shareholders to aggregate their shareholdings to form a nominating group generally would be an essential element of the proposal, exclusion would not be appropriate.

As another example, where a proposal calls for a company to issue a report about a particular topic, a companys existing reports or disclosures about that topic may not implement the essential elements of the proposal, especially if the plain language of the proposal explains how the companys existing reports or disclosures are insufficient. Additionally, where a proposal requests a report from the companys board of directors (such as disclosure regarding the boards assessment of a topic, or the boards process in approaching a topic), the staff may determine that the company has not implemented an essential element of the proposal if the report comes from management rather than the board, if the proposal demonstrates a clear emphasis on reporting directly from the board.

To take an example, the staff previously had viewed the following proposals as addressing the same subject matter for purposes of the resubmission exclusion: (1) a proposal requesting that the board adopt a policy prohibiting the vesting of equity-based awards for senior executives due to a voluntary resignation to enter government service (a government service golden parachute); and (2) a proposal requesting that the board prepare a report to shareholders regarding the vesting of such government service golden parachutes that identifies eligible senior executives and the estimated dollar value of each senior executives government service golden parachute.65 Under the proposed amendment to Rule 14a-8(i)(12), although these proposals concern the same subject matter (namely, government service golden parachutes for senior executives), exclusion would not be warranted because they do not seek the same objectives by the same means.

For additional information, a link to the proposed rule is here.

Comments on the proposal should be received on or before 30 days after publication in the Federal Register or September 12, 2022, whichever is later.

The final amendments rescind certain rules applicable to proxy voting advice businesses (i.e., ISS and Glass Lewis) that the Commission adopted in 2020. First, the final amendments rescind conditions to the availability of two exemptions from the proxy rules information and filing requirements on which proxy voting advice businesses often rely.

Those conditions generally required proxy advisory firms to adopt and publicly disclose written policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that:

Second, the final amendments also delete the 2020 changes to the proxy rules liability provision in Rule 14a-9. Specifically, the SEC is rescinding Note (e) to Rule 14a-9, which provides that the failure to disclose material information regarding proxy voting advice, such as the proxy voting advice businesss methodology, sources of information, or conflicts of interest, could be considered misleading for purposes of Rule 14a-9s prohibition of misleading statements in connection with a proxy solicitation.

Finally, the SEC is rescinding guidance that the SEC issued in 2020 to investment advisers regarding their proxy voting obligations because such guidance was tied to the rules that are being rescinded.

For additional information, a link to the final rule is here.

The amendments and the rescission of the guidance are effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

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SEC Proposes Amendment to the Shareholder Proposals Rule (14a-8) and Adopts Amendments to Rules Impacting Proxy Advisory Firms - JD Supra

Photography is blessed and cursed with both scientific and artistic rules. We always hear that we should keep or break them, but there is much more to it than that.

One of the big mistakes we make in photography is accepting that rules exist. That concept is an old one, probably stemming from the rule of thirds. I have a photography book first published by Kodak in 1920 called How to make Good Pictures; mines the 1948 revision. On page 70, it says this:

The horizon line in a landscape should never divide a picture into two equal parts. It is best to have it one-third from the top or bottom.

This is nonsense. Not all of it, but its the word never with which I take issue. Of course, there is nothing wrong with employing the division of the image into thirds as a technique, but any prescriptive rule that insists on what a composition should or should not be is ridiculous.

Pythagoras Theorem is a rule because, with a straight-edged triangle in two dimensions, the square on the hypotenuse always equals the sum of the squares on the other two sides. Its a universal truth. The notion that we must split a picture into thirds isnt.

This is the fundamental difference between science and art. Science is built around theories and rules, whereas art is entirely subjective. Photography is a unique blend of both science and art. So, finding the balance between those two opposing components is essential for good photography.

Perhaps we should rename this compositional technique as the Tool of Thirds, a device in our compositional toolbox that we can call upon and use if appropriate. We can add that to the golden ratio tool, the tool of armature, the tool of visual weight, the depth of field tool, and so on.

It is an equally silly notion suggesting we must use any of these compositional tools in our photography. However, that doesnt mean we cant use them. For example, balancing a large object on one side of the frame with many smaller objects with less individual visual weight on the right does work, but there are times when we might want to have an imbalance in a photo. Or we might ignore Cartier-Bressons decisive moment or Adams appliance of tones, but it doesnt mean we cant use them if we want to.

Is there a single idea in photography that cannot be used or ignored? Finding your unique style often results from discovering ways of shooting a subject that is different from how others do it. Whether this means abandoning certain conventions or always using them is up to you.

There is an important distinction between discarding a compositional tool and being ignorant of it. If one is unaware of any of the tools, we cant choose to either use or ignore them, and your images will be the worse for that.

How we choose to use or ignore the tools very much depends upon the purpose of our photography. The greatest number of images are shot for mass appeal, usually on social media. Therefore, one assumes most photographers shoot for that purpose. Sadly, the largest section of the photographers audience is unsophisticated regarding understanding the finer nuances of composition. They want a pretty, unchallenging picture and not much more than that. Consequently, many photographers will shoot to achieve pretty, unchallenging images.

That bleeds over into a lot of professional photography. Photographs are commissioned with a broad audience in mind. Consequently, skilled professional photographers will stick to producing images their clients want. Those are invariably photos with mass appeal because they are easy to like. That inevitably means using the tools of design. The camera is well suited to this as it produces pragmatic art; most images shot for commercial means tell a direct story with little room for ambiguity or artistic expression.

For example, when I shoot a wedding, the couple expects the images will meet a set of norms that most wedding photographers will adhere to, which means using compositional tools. Whereas, wearing my creative photographer hat and shooting solely for myself, I can push the norms and the boundaries. I might slip some of these creatively styled images into the collection of bridal photos, and they usually express pleasure with them, but I would not shoot the entire wedding like that. One of the reasons I am backing away from doing as much wedding photography is that doing too many can seem like a sausage machine. A handful of weddings a year helps me stay enthusiastic about them and enjoy the work.

Photographic artists have freer rein over what they produce when not working to a brief. As well as what my friend describes as arty-farty photos, I shoot technically precise images too. These are solely for my enjoyment. They fit within the bounds of what is generally accepted as good photography.

Theres no right or wrong here. If you prefer pictures that fit with diagonal compositions, splitting the image into thirds, or having leading lines that cohere with the golden section, then thats great. Whether you favor silky-smooth seas resulting from long exposures, water shot with a fast shutter with every droplet clearly defined, or somewhere in between, thats your choice, and nobody has a right to condemn you for that. Decide what you like and work on gaining the tools to achieve those results. If you decide you like something else more after a few months, thats perfectly okay too.

There is one rule that I think should be prescriptive and invariably ignored by too many photographers; putting thought into how our photographs look. This isnt just deciding upon a particular subject or genre but finding and putting our own characters into the photo. That is a hard thing for a beginner to achieve at first. Only after shooting 100,000 or so photos, analyzing them, and working out what we like and dont like about what we do is it possible to develop our styles and recognize them in others photos. Then, applying or ignoring those tools will come naturally and be like riding a bike. You wont even think about them.

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Why Professionals Obey the Rules of Photography and Why We Should Also Break Them - Fstoppers

Britains bestseller lists are usually dominated by rural parish murder mysteries, John Grisham thrillers, and historical fiction set in every age other than our own. Novels that detail contemporary life in unflinching, unsparing detail are missing. The song of our country, as it is now, is not being sung.

Their absence is perhaps understandable. In our age of mass-strikes, cost of living crises, and political turmoil, escapism even of the murderous kind seems like an appealing option.

This wasnt the case in the 19th century, when everyone from Anthony Trollope and Elizabeth Gaskell to Benjamin Disraeli, turned their hand to writing novels which described the way we live now: itself the title of Trollopes 1875 satire of financial scandals. Gaskells North and South (1855) is an emotionally febrile exploration of the horrors of industrial England, as the initially nave and snobbish Margaret Hale is forced to leave the idyllic Helston a village like in one of Tennysons poems and move north. A few mill workers riots, some tasteless northern wallpaper and one naval mutiny later, Margaret is morally improved and, perhaps more importantly, engaged.

Disraelis novel, Sybil or The Two Nations (1845) is a similar exploration of the Condition of England. The poverty of those living in Englands industrial cities is so extreme as to seem to belong to another country. Many of Charles Dickenss works contain an element of reportage on the same places. Amidst the unstintingly ridiculous character names, putrid fog, and marauding donkeys, Hard Times (1854), David Copperfield (1850), Oliver Twist (1839), and Bleak House (1853) all attempted to reflect Britain back at the British.

Middlemarch(1872), George Eliots study of provincial life, is the undisputed masterwork of this genre. Through granular examination of the lives of the inhabitants of a middle-England town, Eliot explores everything from medical developments to the status of women in the early 19th century. But its regular appearance on lists of the best state of the nation novels leaves me queasy. Is the book intended to be about national change and the passing of the 1832 Reform Act, or is it a universal examination of human psychology?

State of the nation novelshave been definedas those that address social and political changes. This seems simplistic, even trite: by its nature, a work of fiction inevitably addresses social questions. By that reckoning,Middlemarchis certainly a state of the nation novel, but then so is Douglas AdamssThe Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy(1979). Eliot, like Adams, toys with the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. She gives us a tangled web of human interconnectedness, heartbreak, and failure. The number 42 is conspicuously absent.

Yet some contemporary novelists have taken up the challenge. Amanda Craig has written a sequence of nine interconnected novels all set in contemporary Britain, including 2020s The Golden Rule. For her, contemporary state of the nation novels are those which, like Middlemarch or any of Dickenss or Trollopes offerings, help us get a grasp of the way we live now. She acknowledges a scarceness of modern equivalents to the likes of Gaskell and Disraeli, and attributes it to being bombarded with current affairs by the media.

The author William Boyd similarly blames the news cycle. The basic problem is, it seems to me, that time moves on so much more quickly than in the 19th century. There is a risk for novelists that a on-the-nail, crucial novel will be irrelevant in three years time. He uses the example of Justin Cartwrights 1995 novel In Every Face I Meet. The central epiphanic metaphor is a try scored by the former England rugby union captain Will Carling. As Boyd says, that novel will now require footnotes to make any sense to someone who doesnt remember the occasion.

Looming obsolescence was less of an issue for Dickens and Trollope: their works were often serialised prior to publication, in magazines and newspapers which carried news as well as fiction. Rather than writing about the news cycle of politics and contemporary issues, they were practically a part of it.

Thackeray biographer, D. J. Taylor, identifies another issue that faces the would-be state of the nation writer: in the age Thackeray created Vanity Fair (1848), it was possible for a writer to understand his or her society in a way that isnt possible now. They could grasp the political, financial, and class structure of society. Now, no modern novelist really understands how money works. It is far harder to describe class signifiers and differences in an age where someone earning a six-figure salary can still call themselves culturally working class.

And, many novelists are out of touch with the class-based issues which are at the heart of state of the nation fiction. There are, of course, exceptions Luan Goldies brilliant new novel These Streets is about gentrification and the cost of living in East London; an area the author knows well. But it would be hard for a West London-dwelling, Remainer, Lib Dem-voting novelist to write convincingly about disillusionment and anti-EU sentiment in a former mining town.

The lack of literary fiction that deals with contemporary life is not a recent development. Out of the books which met with acclaim last year, it would be hard to find many which take, as their primary subject matter, the intricacies and relentlessness of modern life.

But it would be facetious to claim there have been no blockbuster state of the nation novels in living memory. In 2012, John Lanchester published Capital: a precisely observed chronicle of London life as the 2008 financial crisis shook the world. The lives of the inhabitants of one road in London from Polish builders to Senegalese footballers and rich Bankers are fastidiously explored, and a true portrait of Britain in the 21st century emerges.

Most recently, Ali Smith wrote her Seasonal Quartet in the years following the Brexit referendum. Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer and this years Companion Piece offer a commentary on British lives as they are lived now. While 19th century novelists recorded railway timetables, the price of stamps, and contemporary legal battles, Smith instead revels in descriptions of disembodied heads and an almost ekphrastic dedication to describing art. Her books are about contemporary life Summer managed to touch on Covid-19 despite only being published a few months after the pandemic began but, in their radical form and style, they are not so much state of the nation novels as they are markers of the state of literary fiction.

Neither Lanchester nor Smiths achievements alter the fact that this is a genre where the tide is going out. What could be the cause of this reluctance to fictionalise the day-to-day lives of normal people?

For Boyd, there is a pragmatic reason: it is risky, and potentially unrewarding, for writers to write about the present. Many novelists himself included write about the recent or semi-distant past because everything is fixed and known. From The Blue Afternoon (1993) to The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth (2017), Boyd has written contemporary novels and short stories, but he would defy any reader to determine what year theyre set in. He takes great pains not to make any topical reference so that its contemporary feel can last a decade or maybe two and is generic rather than precise.

But Craig takes a different approach. The protagonist of her most recent novel, The Golden Rule, is a single mother who cleans homes for a living and continually struggles to make ends meet. But Craig believes that readers are put off by the potential Left-of-centre moralising of a novel which deals with poverty and financial inequality. A state of the nation novel has to be able to hold a mirror up to some of the big social and personal problems of the day and ask readers what they sympathise with, but a strong moral compass hasnt been fashionable for the past 75 years.

This difference in opinion marks a subtly different approach from the purpose of contemporary details in fiction. Are they intended to provide a contemporary feel a modern backdrop to the storys action or are they a part of the storys direction, and the reason for it having been written?

With Boyds fiction, the answer is clearly the former and for Craig, as for her Victorian counterparts, the answer is the latter. But for Smith, the answer lies somewhere in the middle of the two: contemporary resonances give her stories momentum and purpose, but her Seasonal Quartet is less fiction that mirrors contemporary life than fiction which mentions contemporary life but retains an element of detachment from it.

This is why these novels have fallen out of fashion. For Dickens, Eliot, Trollope, and Thackeray, literary culture was inextricably linked to everyday life: novels appeared, quite literally, next to news in the pages of periodicals and often used events from current affairs as potential plot lines. In our day and age, authors, novelists, and the rarefied book world are separate from normal life. (Unsurprisinglypublishing statisticsreveal a dearth of working-class employees in the industry.) We dont want to read novels about the housing crisis, corrupt politicians, and global turmoil when we can watch it on our television screens. In response, fiction has found a home for itself ever further from day-to-day reality.

But we should not be content with this division of literary culture from everyday existence. Lets bring back serialised novels in newspapers, books with thinly veiled real-life politicians, and fiction about the minutiae of normal life. It isnt the issues or politics that readers remember about Victorian state of the nation novels, but the characters.

The Britain they lived in, with its financial scandals and venal celebrities, is not so different from ours. The stories are all still there: a modern day Becky Sharpe in a train strike; a scheming, corrupt Obadiah Slope in the contemporary Church of England; an updated Oliver Twist as a look at the woeful state of children in care; or even Dorothea Brooke as a certain feckless MPs wife. All we are doing is waiting for talents to tell them.

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Why fiction is failing Britain - UnHerd

Forensics expert Laughton Rees hunts an unusually clever killer who appears to be staging murder scenes just for her in this twisty new psychological thriller by the bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy.

We chat with author Simon Toyne about his latest novelDark Objects, which is out this week!

Hi Simon, were excited to hear about your new book, DARK OBJECTS.

DARK OBJECTS is a twisty, fast-paced, psychological suspense thriller set in present-day London. It starts with a glamorous woman found brutally murdered in her sleek, architect-designed mansion. She has no formal identity so officially doesnt exist, no alarms were tripped, no forensics were left behind, and the only clues are four strange objects arranged around the body: a unicorn toy, some old war medals, a set of keys that dont fit any lock in the house, and a book on forensics and police procedure written by Dr. Laughton Rees.

Laughton, a brilliant but troubled and reclusive academic struggling to raise her teenage daughter alone, finds herself dragged onto the front pages by the media storm that whips up around the bizarre murder and the belief that her book helped the killer cover their tracks.

Realizing that the fastest way to return her life to normal is to solve the mystery, Laughton breaks her own golden rule to never work live cases and agrees to share her considerable expertise with the investigation.But as the objects gradually begin to reveal the identity of both killer and victim, Laughton realizes they also contain specific messages about the childhood trauma that shattered her life and eventually turned her into a recluse. Her childhood was stolen away by one killer, now she must catch another before her daughters is destroyed too.

Youve mentioned youre a fan of Charles Dickens. How has his work influenced your writing?

I dont know a single writer who isnt a fan or hasnt been influenced by Dickens in some way. Hes so influential that when you think about Victorian London what youre picturing isDickensianLondon, the one he described so vividly in books as varied asOliver Twist,A Tale of Two Cities, andGreat Expectations.

Hes also brilliant at taking complex ideas, particularly ones of social and economic problems, and dramatizing them in a way that makes them understandable and compelling and has this incredible ability to tell a story that incorporates the whole of society, from Lords to street sweepers and everybody in between. This is something I tried to emulate inDARK OBJECTS. I take the story all over Londonfrom the Home Secretary and Chief Police Commissioner to a teenage runaway, living on the streetsguiding the reader on a journey through a darker and more unfamiliar London.

Why set DARK OBJECTS in London?

DARK OBJECTSis the first novel Ive set in my native England. All the locations in the book are real places: the Murder Mansion, Suicide Bridge, New Scotland Yard, the Old Chelsea Nick, the offices of The Dailyall genuine parts of a very real, modern London.

The mansion where the murder takes place is called the Eldridge House which sits on the edge of Highgate Cemetery. Highgate Cemetery is a fantastically opulent and overgrown Victorian cemetery that looks like an enchanted wood filled with lop-sided tombs and gravestones and has quite a few famous people buried thereKarl Marx, author George Eliot, George Michael, the actress Jean Simmons.

I used to live in Archway, which is at the bottom of Highgate Hill. I know the area well and had always been intrigued by this striking, modern, steel and glass house overlooking the graveyard. I was inspired to set the murder there.

Many writers spend much of their writing time in isolation. How did Covid affect you and your work life?

Covid and lockdown meant having to share the house with my wife and three kids instead of being on my own between the hours of 8 and 4. Being a writer means you have no real structure so you either need to create some or cleave to a pre-existing one. Lockdown shattered my structure entirely. I had to create a new one in order to keep working, which mostly involved getting up a few hours earlier than the rest of our household.

I wrote a lot of DARK OBJECTS sitting up in bed, which was not ideal for my back and may have partly inspired the scene in the middle of the book where someone else is trapped in a bedroom against their will.

How do true crime stories fit into your work? Is DARK OBJECTS based on a particular case?

I think true crimes fascinate all of us, and crime writers are no exception. As I was prepping DARK OBJECTS, I was filming a true crime TV show called Written in Blood where I interviewed various bestselling crime writers such as Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter about the real crimes that had inspired their work. One of the stories involved a double murder in Glasgow in the early eighties, where two women were killed in separate attacks. In each case the killer emptied the contents of their handbags and laid them out in a neat line. There was something very macabre and disturbing about that detail and it stuck with me and ended up being one of the hallmarks of my killer in DARK OBJECTS. I was reminded of the adage, Truth is stranger than fiction. Its another reason why people love true crime I think; an editor would probably make me take out half the things I encountered when making this show because they would say it was implausible or unbelievable. Alas.

DARK OBJECTS is your seventh novel. Do you view this novel as an evolution? What can we expect next?

My first three novels were compared to Dan Brown and my next two to Stephen King and Lee Child. DARK OBJECTS has been compared by early readers to Thomas Harris. I think the stories Im telling have shifted in tone and subject over the years. Having said that, I think all of my books are fundamentally still the same at their core. All of them have a big mystery at their heart, which complex characters attempt to solve through the course of the story. All of them have multiple twists and are carefully put together in a way that hopefully makes the reader get to the end of one page and turn another, get to the end of one chapter and say just one more until they close the book at three in the morning still wondering whats going to happen to the characters next. And so, as to whats next, Ive already written a first draft of a follow up to DARK OBJECTS.

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Q&A: Simon Toyne, Author of 'Dark Objects' - The Nerd Daily