Phil Robertson was suspended by A&E for bigoted comments in GQ. Conservatives cry foul, but it hardly violates his rightsThe right to free speech isn't just a fundamental American value; it's enshrined in the first amendment to our constitution. If only the most loud-mouthed among us actually understood what it says. Here's what the First Amendment offers: you can say, write or publish pretty much whatever you want, no matter how offensive (with a few exceptions), and the government can't step in and censor you or put you in jail. Here's what the first amendment doesn't do: allow you to say, write or publish whatever you want, no matter how offensive, and also entitle you to a giant pay check from your starring role on a cable reality TV show.This isn't exactly Harvard-level legal theory, but many Republicans, Christian organizations and garden-variety tweeters enjoy spouting off about their love of freedom and the Constitution while remaining disturbingly unaware of what the Bill of Rights actually says and means. The right-wing passion for a set of ideals they claim to revere – but remain ignorant of – is not new, but it's news again this week. They're up in arms at the suspension of Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson for a series of homophobic and bigoted remarks he made to GQ magazine. Professional consequences for bigoted comments, they say, violate the constitutional right to free speech.Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said: Phil Robertson and his family are great... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
Andrew Ewell's debut novel 'Set for Life' is well-written but doesn't fulfill its potential. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-02-09 16:00:10 UTC ]
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The debut novel 'Dead in Long Beach, California,' is a sharp, dazzling turn for Compton-raised author Venita Blackburn, who made her name with lightning-fast fiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-01-11 11:00:44 UTC ]
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The 2024 Golden Globes represented a return to normalcy after a year dominated by strikes in the entertainment industry. Streamers continued to get recognition for their shows, with Netflix, Hulu and Max picking up a combined 12 television awards. Max (formerly HBO Max) won the most awards,... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-01-08 10:25:14 UTC ]
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An inside look at the publication process for the PEN/Hemingway Award-winning author's second novel Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
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As a precocious teen looking to improve my college application, I sat in on a business studies class. I figured taking two extra A-Levels at night school alongside those I took during the day would make me irresistible to admissions tutors. The class I watched examined if it was worth a large... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-12-18 15:30:52 UTC ]
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An increase in its First Day Complete sales and lower costs in its second period resulted in a jump in earnings, on flat sales, at Barnes & Noble Education, which operates more than 1,270 college stores. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-07 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Centre for Literacy in Primary Education records a 26% increase since its first report in 2017, but stresses continuing inequities in representationThirty per cent of children’s books published last year featured racially minoritised characters, according to new research.The sixth report on... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-11-30 15:21:11 UTC ]
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In his memoir Speak, Memory, Vladimir Nabokov reflected: “Music, I regret to say, affects me merely as an arbitrary succession of more or less irritating sounds.” The furor over Lolita may have died down, but this confession still has the power to shock. Did the man just say he doesn’t like... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-29 09:55:49 UTC ]
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If you use Goodreads at all, you’ve likely noticed that the platform allows you to “rate” your “reads” using “stars” (those are scare quotes). If you use Goodreads regularly, you probably know that the ratings system is, in a word, fucked. Why does literally every Colleen Hoover book have over... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-21 17:28:32 UTC ]
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Amazon started its Black Friday deals early this year, and many Amazon devices are on sale right now. We sifted through the sale and selected standout deals on Amazon Kindles, Fire TV sticks, Echo speakers, and Eero routers. There's also a bundle that combines an Amazon... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-11-17 15:30:25 UTC ]
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It's important to keep dads preoccupied over the holidays. If your dad isn't a pigskin sort of dad, perhaps he's a Civil War or World War II sort of a dad, or perhaps even a naval warfare type. If he is, these books may help keep this year's holiday season a bit more peaceful. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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With several National Book Awards finalists planning to call for a ceasefire in Gaza at tomorrow's ceremony, Zibby Media has withdrawn its sponsorship of the event over what CEO Zibby Owens called the "inappropriate conduct and collusion of its nominees." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-14 05:00:00 UTC ]
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By publishing unflinching books on topics often perceived as controversial, small publishers can combat restrictions on intellectual freedom. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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This year’s regional bookseller shows were upbeat and exciting gatherings, where both traditional and nontraditional booksellers networked, met authors, and discovered the hottest new releases. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Seeing untold promise in new technology, he was a prime mover in the creation of the cable industry, helping to transform Time Warner Cable into a giant in the field. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-10-19 20:03:36 UTC ]
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Years ago I came across a children’s book called You Will Go to the Moon. It was first published in 1959 by Mae and Ira Freeman, ten years before the first moon landing. The book predicts a future where space travel is a leisure pursuit for a baby boomer and his parents. It shows the […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-16 09:01:20 UTC ]
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Star Trek: Prodigy has found a new streaming home with Netflix, after being both canceled by Paramount+ and completely deleted from the platform back in June. Not only will Netflix air the previously-released 20-episode first season later this year, but it’s also putting... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-10-11 18:30:15 UTC ]
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Showing Up Every Day: A Conversation with Dewaine Farria, by Matt Gallagher Interviews [email protected] Tue, 10/10/2023 - 15:38 Dewaine Farria belongs to the world. As a US Marine, he served in Jordan and Ukraine, and spent much of his... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2023-10-10 20:38:06 UTC ]
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The Mountains & Plains Indie Booksellers Association's annual FallCon kicked off quietly Wednesday afternoon, but quickly picked up steam Thursday as more than 200 booksellers gathered in Denver to network with each other and to meet authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Welcome to the ninth edition of Star Watch, our annual program dedicated to recognizing and honoring rising talent in the publishing and bookselling businesses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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