While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important, which you might have missed, and try to include a bunch of resources & opportunities. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
Republican Victory and the Ambience of Information
RT @NewYorker “In a country where more than half of adults have literacy below a sixth-grade level, ambient information, however thin and wrong, is more powerful than actual facts.” Nathan Heller writes about Trump’s victory and the ambience of information.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/republican-victory-and-the-ambience-of-information
I’m 16. On Nov. 6 the Girls Cried, and the Boys Played Minecraft.
A powerful read.
Women Get Less Exercise Than Men. It’s a Problem.
MT @amydiehl Exercise gender gap: 33% of women met weekly recommendations for exercise vs 43% of men. Why? 1M less girls than boys play high school sports. Women don’t have time due to caretaking & many feel unsafe from harassment when exercising.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/well/move/exercise-gender-gap-caregiving.html
Innovation
Scientists Use AI to Turn 134-Year-Old Photo Into 3D Model of Lost Temple Relief
3D reconstruction from a single 134 year old photo of lost relief panels at the Borobudur temple at Indonesia by scientists using a novel AI neural network.
How an AI ‘debunkbot’ can change a conspiracy theorist’s mind
https://www.popsci.com/technology/conspiracy-debunk-ai-bot/
No Steering Wheel, Pedals or Driver’s Seat: Is Zoox the Future of Robotaxis?
Amazon’s self-driving vehicles will soon be serving the streets of San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Technology
Dow Jones Wins AI Licensing Deals With More Than 4,000 News Outlets Like the AP
Forbes, CNN, and More Lose Millions as New Google Policy Tanks Affiliate Businesses
The search visibility of the Forbes, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fortune, and Time affiliate businesses has fallen dramatically in recent months. That lost traffic is cumulatively worth at least $7.5 million.
https://www.adweek.com/media/cnn-forbes-lose-millions-google-seo-policy/
ByteDance’s AI can make your photos act out movie scenes—but is it too real
X-Portrait 2 allows still images to reenact iconic movie scenes. It could revolutionize animation by reducing reliance on motion capture; concerns abt digital rights + authenticity
Particle launches AI news app to help publishers, instead of just stealing their work
Magic Story launches AI-based media platform for children to create their own adventures
Children create customized books & animated videos. It raised $4M in funding, offers 24 stories, avail as hardcover books or via mobile app. Subscription = $15/mo
Publishing & Media
Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with Sandy Hook families’ backing
https://apnews.com/article/onion-buys-infowars-alex-jones-6496f198d141c991087dcd937b3588e9
W3C Seeks Comments of Proposed Accessibility Requirements
Next June, the EU will require that digital content sold in its single market conforms with regulations in place to ensure accessibility and discovery of accessible content.
https://www.bisg.org/news/w3c-seeks-comments-on-proposed-accessibility-requirements
Substack Raises $10 Million in Latest Funding
Newsletter platform Substack is raising around $10 million from a broad range of investors, including Omeed Malik and Nate Silver.
https://www.axios.com/2024/11/12/substack-new-funding
X to Face New Fight with French Newspapers
AMC Networks Takes Full Control of BBC America
https://worldscreen.com/amc-networks-takes-full-control-of-bbc-america/
Netflix ad-supported tier has 70 million monthly users two years after launch
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/12/netflix-ad-supported-tier-70-million-monthly-users.html
Election Impact: What Will a Second Trump Term Mean for Education and Libraries?
https://www.slj.com/story/Election-Impact-What-will-second-Trump-term-mean-education-libraries
Resources & Opportunities
Comedy, Cocktails, & Cheer: A 50th Anniversary Holiday Spectacular
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5937841
Celebrating the Women and Art of Children’s Books
11/21 5:45pm ET. $15 for members, $25 for non-members. With Selina Alko, Vashti Harrison, and Cecilia Ruiz. Moderated by Carolina Schwarz. During National Book Awards Week, join Women’s Media Group in partnership with the Society of Illustrators to celebrate a diverse group of women illustrators of children’s books. The main event will be a panel discussion, where each artist will speak about her career journey, her approach to illustration, and some of her recent work. There will also be time before and after the event to enjoy the Museum of Illustration’s prestigious annual “The Original Art” exhibit, which showcases the fine art of children’s book illustration. Following the panel, enjoy a cocktail, light bites, and conversation in the beautiful historic 128 Bar, the Society’s unique gallery and gathering space.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5913885
The Hidden Cost of Defending Books: Voices from the Front Lines
Free virtual @PENamerica panel 11/18 at 6 pm ET w author Ocean Vuong and PEN America’s Kasey Meehan. They will join freedom to read advocates to delve into the emotional landscape of activism in the fight against book bans
https://pen.org/event/the-hidden-cost-of-defending-books-voices-from-the-front-lines/
Sending Care Packages to LGBTQIA+ Teens In Need
MT @diversebooks Last week, we announced our latest initiative to send specially curated mental health care packages to queer teens. If you run an LGBTQIA+ support service/program for teens, please fill out our interest form to be considered for care packages.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhDUWgqix5gF8rAcljTSSHOXmM2vogA0h6ouo5F8JK0KpGrA/viewform
Browse the Branches Bike Ride
https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/browse-branches-bike-ride-marcy-library-20241207-1000am
2025 Margins and Open City Fellowships
MT @aaww Applications for our 2025 Margins and Open City Fellowships are NOW OPEN to NYC tristate area-based Asian American & Asian diasporic writers through December 15! ✨
Share this with the writers in your community!
Hodson Trust-John Carter Brown Library Fellowship
MT @marcelalandres $20,000 Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship includes housing and university privileges, open to filmmakers, novelists, creative and performing artists, deadline 2/1
https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/starr/Fellowships/hodson-brown-fellowship.php
Publicity and Events Coordinator Job at Feminist Press
MT @FeministPress Deadline to apply is November 18
https://www.feministpress.org/jobs
Immigrant Services at NYPL
RT @nypl NYPL helps asylum seekers, refugees, migrants, and immigrants navigate and find their way in the city. Explore conversation groups, sign up for English classes and citizenship study groups, and get connected with free city services.
https://www.nypl.org/community/services/immigrant-services
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