Nathan Waddell, University of Birmingham
It may seem like the modernist painter and writer Wyndham Lewis (1882-1957) and Kanye West (the rapper and onetime presidential hopeful now known as Ye) have little in common. But their stories are connected: both are known for making controversial statements about the Nazis.
Carol Richardson, The University of Edinburgh
Before news of his hospitalisation for a respiratory infection this week, a fake image of Pope Francis wearing a Balenciaga-style white puffer jacket was posted to Reddit and Twitter. The image – created through AI programme Midjourney – had many viewers fooled into believing that the head of the Catholic church had dramatically updated his style.
As an art historian and an ecclesiastical historian, the image has fascinated me, not least in thinking about the rich history of papal fashion.
First of all, it caught my eye because it looks like shot silk (fabric made of silk woven from two or more colours producing an iridescent appearance). Intentionally or not, it’s a nice nod to the fascia, a sash worn by clerics over their cassocks.
This week, Virgin Atlantic’s brand new A330neo touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and to showcase the amazing experience customers can expect on board this route to London, the airline has been delighting customers in Manhattan with a unique “Taxi For Takeoff” experience. The distinctive Virgin red hackney carriage picked up customers around the city, surprising them with a special guest appearance from founder Sir Richard Branson. Continue reading
As we look forward to spending more time outside, wearing fewer layers, and taking in more sun, we also begin to get closer to the part of the season we all hate: insect bites. Whether you have to deal with mosquitoes, bee stings, deer flies, wasps, or no-see-ums, the sting can be equally painful and uncomfortable. Continue reading
Olisae has watched his contemporaries fall into what he deems to be a “homogenous look and feel” in the way they present themselves as artists acting as billboards for other brands. “I’m an independent. That allows me to choose my own path. I don’t want to wear the same tired luxury labels like every other hip-hop or r&b artist out there. Why can’t I be my own brand, promote myself, and define luxury in my own way,” asks Olisae. “Dee comes from a place that sees no boundaries in expression. She understands my vision and together we are creating something that is me from start to finish.” Continue reading
Now in its fifth year with Govtech accelerator partner Leading Cities, the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge is open to entrepreneurs whose ventures utilize smart-city solutions to address risk, equity and sustainability in urban environments. Primary challenge winners will receive up to $150,000 in prize money to fund a city pilot project, as well as publicity, mentoring and access to unique web-based courses. Continue reading
State House
Lusaka, Zambia
3:37 P.M. CAT
ZAMBIAN OFFICIAL: Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia; Honorable Madam Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America; cabinet ministers present from both countries; members of the press; distinguished invited guests; ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the press conference being held here at State House this afternoon.
And to begin the process, I now have the singular honor and privilege to call upon the President of the Republic of Zambia to deliver his remarks.
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David Beer, University of York
In 1956, during a year-long trip to London and in his early 20s, the mathematician and theoretical biologist Jack D. Cowan visited Wilfred Taylor and his strange new “learning machine”. On his arrival he was baffled by the “huge bank of apparatus” that confronted him. Cowan could only stand by and watch “the machine doing its thing”. The thing it appeared to be doing was performing an “associative memory scheme” – it seemed to be able to learn how to find connections and retrieve data.
Harvard Business School’s (HBS) Klarman Hall was packed to capacity yesterday evening, with spectators there to support the 12 student finalist teams competing in the finale of the 26th annual HBS New Venture Competition (NVC). At stake was $225,000 in cash plus in-kind prizes to fund the startups. The top prize in the Student Business Track and Student Social Enterprise Track was $75,000 each, with runner-up prizes of $25,000; two audience prizes of $5,000; and $15,000 in Tough Technology prizes. Continue reading
With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the travel industry stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed. Continue reading