Melissa Avdeeff, University of Stirling
At Super Bowl LVIII, Taylor Swift will appear on the field at Allegiant Stadium after her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, wins the game. But she won’t be performing. Swift’s appearance will be a Pentagon-backed psy-op to turn the rigged game into a calculated political endorsement, to secure the 2024 presidential election for Joe Biden.
Here’s a statistic that would make Clark Griswold proud: according to The American Survey (powered by What If Media Group), a quarter of Americans plan to take a vacation somewhere within the US in 2024, and 63% will travel exclusively by car. Continue reading
Market research and consulting firm BrandSpark International, in partnership with iconic media brand Newsweek, has released its 2nd edition with the 2024 list of the Most Trusted brands in the UK, as 100% voted on by UK Shoppers. The winning brands were determined in the BrandSpark International UK Trust Study through a consumer survey, aggregating the opinions of 13,823 recent category shoppers who provided 86,736 top-of-mind unaided responses on which brands they trust most. BrandSpark has been measuring trust for 11 years, with robust studies in the United States and Canada. Continue reading
Jan. 8, 2024 /Human interest/ — Jews have a long history of advocating for human rights around the world, including in the US Civil Rights movement and against apartheid in South Africa. This commitment stems from both religious and ethical principles within Judaism that emphasize justice, equality, and compassion for all. Continue reading
Simon McCarthy-Jones, Trinity College Dublin
The idea of free speech sparked into life 2,500 years ago in Ancient Greece – in part because it served a politician’s interests. The ability to speak freely was seen as essential for the new Athenian democracy, which the politician Cleisthenes both introduced and benefited from.
Jan. 2, 2024 /Politics/ — 2024 is shaping up to be a bumper year for elections! Here are some noteworthy examples beyond the UK and USA: Continue reading
Driver monitoring systems (DMS) have gained considerable momentum, driven by the escalating SAE autonomous driving levels and regulatory frameworks in key regions like the USA, Europe, China, Japan, and others. While DMS is not a novel concept, traditional DMS techniques typically rely on passive data sourced from advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), such as driving duration and lane-keeping. Although these conventional passive technologies offer simplicity and easy integration into vehicles, they are prone to generating false positives. Continue reading
Daniel Jolley, University of Nottingham; Andrew McNeill, Northumbria University, Newcastle, and Jenny Paterson, Northumbria University, Newcastle
Scientists have learned a lot about why people believe in conspiracy theories and how they harm society over the past couple of decades. Yet little is known about how the groups targeted by conspiracy theories feel and behave.
Nov. 29, 2023 /IEconomy/ — Zambia is a country in southern Africa that has been struggling with a heavy debt burden for many years. In 2020, the country became the first African nation to default on its sovereign debt during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to get its finances back on track, Zambia has been seeking to restructure its debt with its creditors. Continue reading
/Music/ — Now That’s What I Call Music (NOW) is a compilation series of popular music released in the United Kingdom since 1983. The series is known for its eclectic mix of genres, including pop, rock, dance, and R&B. NOW has been a popular source of music for young people in the UK for many years, and it has played a significant role in British pop culture.
The Origins of NOW
The idea for NOW was conceived by Virgin Records executive Simon Draper in 1982. Draper was inspired by the success of a similar series in the US called “K-Tel Records.” Draper believed that there was a market for a compilation series that featured the biggest hits of the day.
The first NOW album was released in 1983 and was an instant success. It sold over 1 million copies in the UK and topped the charts for 30 weeks. The album’s success was due in part to its strong tracklisting, which featured hits from artists such as Culture Club, Duran Duran, and Michael Jackson.
NOW’s Influence on British Pop Culture
NOW has had a significant impact on British pop culture for many years. The series has helped to launch the careers of many successful artists, including Oasis, Blur, and Spice Girls. NOW has also been a major force in the development of British dance music.
The series has been praised for its ability to capture the zeitgeist of British music. NOW albums have always been a reflection of the current musical landscape, and they have helped to define the sound of British pop music for many years.
NOW in the 21st Century
NOW is still a popular series today. The latest album, NOW 113, was released in 2023. NOW has also expanded into other areas, such as television and DVD.
The series is still significant in British pop culture because it continues to provide a snapshot of the current musical landscape. NOW is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to stay up-to-date on the latest music trends.
Here are some of the reasons why NOW is still significant in British pop culture: