HarperCollins is asking authors to sell their books to the A.I. woodchipper

Arts & Culture, Books

In one of those developments that feels a bit like what we get instead of actual good things happening in the world of the modern internet, it sounds like the situation surrounding artificial intelligence training is about to move from “A thing nobody likes is happening” to “A thing nobody likes is happening, and also some people are getting paid to say it’s okay.” This, per a recent social media post from author and Colbert writer Daniel Kibblesmith, who revealed that he was approached by publisher HarperCollins about including his kids book Santa’s Husband (illustrated by A.P. Quach) in a deal the publisher is making to provide portions of their library to “a large tech company” for the purposes of training an A.I. language learning model.
The post includes screenshots of communications between Kibblesmith and the agency that represented him on the book, which was passing on the publisher’s offer for the title (a well-reviewed and charming kids book that “tells the story of a Black Santa, his white husband, and their life in the North Pole”). Kibblesmith was apparently offered a non-negotiable $2,500 to allow his book to be bundled in with other works for training, covering a three-year period of use. The posted email, which invokes the specter that “these A.I. models may one day make us all obsolete,” also mentions that “several hundred authors” have already agreed to the deal, and emphasizes the stance that, hey, getting to paid to have your work fed into an A.I. woodchipper is better than having it stolen for that same purpose.

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Kibblesmith did not agree, including in his post a screenshot of his rejection of the deal, which he called “Abominable.” In a statement to The A.V. Club, Kibblesmith wrote that, “It seems like they think they’re cooked, and they’re chasing short money while they can. I disagree. The fear of robots replacing authors is a false binary. I see it as the beginning of two diverging markets, readers who want to connect with other humans across time and space, or readers who are satisfied with a customized on-demand content pellet fed to them by the big computer so they never have to be challenged again.”
HarperCollins has not responded to requests for comment.

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38th Jamshedpur Book Fair inaugurated

Arts & Culture, Books

Jamshedpur: The 38th edition of the Jamshedpur Book Fair was inaugurated today at the Rabindra Bhawan premises with great enthusiasm and fanfare. Organized by the Tagore Society, the much-loved literary event will run until November 24, offering book lovers a treasure trove of literary delights.Advertisements
Dr. Anjila Gupta, Vice-Chancellor of Jamshedpur Women’s University, graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Rituraj Sinha, Managing Director of Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Ltd., was the guest of honor. In her inaugural address, Dr. Gupta emphasized the timeless relevance of books in nurturing intellect and cultural awareness. “Books are our companions in learning, helping us connect with the past, understand the present, and envision the future,” she said.

Rituraj Sinha highlighted the importance of fostering a reading culture, especially among the youth. He praised the Tagore Society for creating a platform that celebrates literature, diversity, and creativity year after year.

The fair features 70 stalls, showcasing books across genres and languages, including Hindi, English, Bengali, Urdu, Gurumukhi, and regional languages like Santhali, Ho, and Kurmali. Publishers and distributors from major cities such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Patna, as well as international participants, have brought a wide variety of titles to the fair.

Ashis Choudhury, General Secretary of the Tagore Society, highlighted the significance of the event, noting its role in promoting literacy and community engagement. “Books remain an irreplaceable source of knowledge and creativity in today’s fast-paced digital era,” he said.
This year, the fair offers free entry for school students to encourage young minds to immerse themselves in the world of books. A range of events, including book launches, literary discussions, and seminars, has been planned to inspire the next generation of readers and writers.
The fair’s organizers expressed gratitude to corporate sponsors, educational institutions, and libraries for their contributions. Dr. H.S. Paul, President of the Tagore Society, emphasized the collective effort that has made the fair a continued success, from its humble beginnings to becoming a major cultural event in the city.
The inaugural day concluded with an enthusiastic response from visitors, setting the tone for what promises to be a vibrant and enriching celebration of books and ideas over the next ten days.

Tourist police undergo training ahead of festive season

Travel

Tourist police patrol Plaza beach in Mombasa.[File, Standard] 

Tourism Police Unit (TPU) officers at the Coast are undergoing training on handling tourists ahead of the festive season.
Coast TPU commander Charity Wangui said the officers would have a busy festive season and there was need to train them how to handle tourists expected to throng the Coast.
The training, funded by the Tourism Fund, will provide officers with crime prevention strategies and ensure the rights of arrested individuals, particularly foreign nationals.
“The numbers at the airport, Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) trains, and PSV buses suggest that a good number of tourists, local and foreign, are making their way to Mombasa and the Coast at large hence we will not have a better time than now to retool our officers,” said Wangui.
More than 100 officers were trained on the Tourism Act, witness and suspect interrogation, and psychological sensitization, among other areas to improve the handling of suspects.
Tourism Fund Levy Compliance Manager Edward Kisali said the induction programme will benefit the sector ahead of the festive season.
“The training is running within three counties -Mombasa, Nakuru, and Nairobi- where we expect a large number of tourists in this holiday season,” said Kisali.
He said as the public begin the festive season officers will be on the lookout for possible security threats.
The training will boost the officers knowledge in investigations, psychological sensitisation, fraud detection, and crime prevention.

Destination Oman presented to Dutch travel operators

Travel

The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), hosted the annual conference of the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ANVR) on Thursday.The event in collaboration with the Dutch Travel Association was held in the presence of Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Tourism at the MHT, as well as the Dutch Ambassador.The Ministry said that the number of tourists visiting the Sultanate of Oman from the Netherlands in 2023 reached 18,164. From January to the end of September 2024, Oman received 11,341 Dutch visitors.ANVR companies include 300 general and specialized travel companies and 1,500 travel agencies (focused on business and luxury tourism) in the Netherlands.The conference brought 185 companies representing the tourism sector in the Netherlands, offering an opportunity to showcase the Sultanate of Oman as a travel destination for tourism and media companies in the Dutch market.The conference serves as a platform to introduce Dutch tourism companies to Oman’s tourist attractions, unique experiences, and heritage sites, providing a comprehensive overview to companies that will later play a role in promoting Oman.The annual conference of the ANVR is among the key events leveraged by the Ministry to promote Oman’s tourism sector and elevate the country’s standing as a global tourism destination. The event will showcase the diversity of Oman’s tourism offerings to the Dutch market and introduce companies to the cultural and tourism highlights of the Sultanate of Oman, along with recent developments in the Omani tourism sector and promotional offers.The conference program includes visits to various governorates to explore tourism opportunities, heritage markets, forts, and sites of interest, allowing participants to discover the rich cultural and natural heritage of Oman.

Jake Paul beats boxing legend Mike Tyson

US & Canada

ARLINGTON, TEXAS —  Jake Paul beat boxing legend Mike Tyson by unanimous decision to win an intergenerational heavyweight battle in Texas on Friday that failed to live up to its enormous hype. The bout between the 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prizefighter Paul and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson was streamed live on Netflix and played…

Meet the 4 Auburn University alumni who were inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame

Business News

Alex Husting

Four Auburn University alumni were among the seven people inducted into the 2024 Alabama Business Hall of Fame at Thursday’s 2024 induction ceremony in Birmingham.The Alabama Business Hall of Fame was established in 1973 to honor individuals who have brought recognition to the state of Alabama through their business contributions. Among the recipients’ were Rob Burton from the Class of ’79, Raymond J. Harbert from the Class of ’82, Thomas A. Harris from the Class of ‘71 and Thomas H. Lowder from the Class of ’72. Harris founded Merchant CapitalFor Harris, that began shortly after he graduated. Harris, a resident of Hope Hull in Lowndes County, first worked for First Alabama Bankshares as head of national accounts and business development. In 1987, he founded and became president of Merchant Capital, a Montgomery-based investment banking firm that grew to have offices throughout the Southeast. In 2014, Stifel Nicolaus Financial Corp. acquired Merchant Capital, and Harris served as senior managing director at Stifel Nicolaus until 2022. 

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“Thomas Harris distinguished himself as one of Alabama’s top executives because he found success in numerous business ventures throughout his career,” said Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon, who serves on the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association board with Harris. “I am overjoyed to see him honored as an inductee into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame. I’m fortunate to know him on a personal and professional level, and I know the Hall of Fame could not have made a better choice.”

Thomas Harris, the founder of Merchant Capital and Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association was one of four Auburn University graduates in the 2024 class that was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Courtesy of the Alabama Business Hall of Fame

In 2021, Harris founded Birmingham Recovery Center and Longleaf Wellness and Recovery Centers. The centers provide substance abuse and mental health treatment at four facilities in Alabama. In 2023, he partnered to launch YHN Media Group, LLC, which owns several Alabama-based media outlets.Harris is also an avid conservationist, and he founded and serves as the president of the ALBBAA, which is committed to promoting outdoor recreation and tourism throughout the Alabama Black Belt according to a news release from ALBBAA.Harris also serves on the national board of directors for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. In 2019, Harris received the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Governor’s Conservationist of the Year award.”I am truly humbled to be included in the Class of 2024 for the Alabama Business Hall of Fame,” Harris said in a news release from the ALBBAA announcing his induction. “It’s an honor I did not expect, but one that I will cherish forever.”Burton serves as the CEO of Hoar Holdings Rob Burton is the CEO of Hoar Holdings, and he began working in the business for his father at the age of 13, After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in building science, he returned to the family business and held various positions within the company before being named president in 1996 and CEO in 2001. Under Burton’s leadership, Hoar Construction opened offices in several states and has taken on larger and more complex projects, including ones in health care, entertainment, higher education, government and more. According to an AU news release, the company doubled its revenue in the first 10 years under Burton’s leadership.In 1997, Burton established HPM, a program management company that offers design and construction expertise to institutions and companies around the country. The company is now top 25 ranked national program management company, according to the news release. In 2021, the company launched RPI Rentals, a construction equipment rental, materials and supplies company with offices in Alabama and Texas.

Rob Burton is the CEO of Hoar Holdings and he was one of four Auburn graduates that were inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Courtesy of the Alabama Business Hall of Fame

Burton has also worked to serve the community in various ways, including founding Hoar Community Foundation in 2004. The fund has donated millions to charities that “further the firm’s core values in areas where employees live and work,” according to a news release from Auburn University.Burton is also currently chairman of the board at The Hope Institute.Many Auburn students may know the name Harbert, as the Harbert College of Business is named after Raymond J. Harbert. Harbert is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Harbert Management Corporation, one of the largest alternative asset investment management firms in the Southeast. However, this was not the first business he started. When he was just 15, he founded Penbryn Hill Catering, which he ran throughout his high school years.After graduating from Auburn, he worked for Harbert International, Inc., the construction subsidiary of Harbert Corporation, and the company that was founded and built by his father John Harbert over four decades. Raymond serves as the president and CEO of Harbert Corporation

Raymond J. Harbert is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Harbert Management Corporation and was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Courtesy of the Alabama Business Hall of Fame

By the age of 31, Harbert was promoted to president and CEO of Harbert Corporation. When Harbert launched the Harbert Management Corporation in 1993, it was the first multi alternative asset investment management firm in Alabama. The HMC manages 10 different investment strategies from eight United States and four European offices with over $8 billion of assets under management. Harbert serves on the boards and executive committees of the Robert Meyer Foundation, Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham Business Alliance and is chairman of the Newcomen Society of Alabama. He also served as at-large member of Auburn University Board of Trustees, a role he held for over 10 years. In 2006, he was was awarded the regional Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Financial Services, and he was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 2015.Lowder became the CEO of Colonial Properties Trust Thomas H. Lowder is another Auburn alumni that went the family business route. He is the former chairman and CEO of Colonial Properties Trust, a New York Stock Exchange-listed, multifamily-focused real estate investment trust, with commercial assets in the sunbelt region of the United States. 

Thomas Lowder, the former chairman and CEO of Colonial Properties Trust, was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Courtesy of the Alabama Business Hall of Fame

After he graduated from Auburn University, Lowder assumed a leadership role with Colonial Properties Trust in 1976. He took the company public in 1993 and with Lowder as CEO the company grew from $475 million in total market capitalization to $5.3 billion before he retired from active management in 2006.He later returned in December 2008 as CEO to lead the company after the financial recession and the crisis on Wall Street. Colonial Properties eventually merged with Mid-America Apartment Communities in 2013 and later Post Properties, Inc to become one of the largest apartment real estate investment trusts on the NYSE with a market capitalization of over $16 billion. Lowder continues to serve on the Mid-America Apartment Communities board.Beyond his work in the business world, Lowder serves or has served as a member or chair of several boards, including Children’s Hospital of Alabama, the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the American Red Cross, and United Way of Central Alabama. He and his wife Susan are active in philanthropic efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, ALS, and other neurological diseases, which took the lives of each of their former spouses, according to the news release.Marnix E. Heersink, Claude B. Nielsen and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban were the other inductees in the 2024 class.

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Fact or fiction? The science behind RFK Jr’s health stances

Science and Health

The new US Health Secretary is likely to be Robert F Kennedy Jr, an anti-vaccine campaigner who also has many other fringe views on health.President-elect Donald Trump, who announced he will nominate Kennedy as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, previously said he would let him “go wild” on health.It’s a controversial decision because Kennedy, formerly an environmental campaigner, has aligned himself with many alternative health theories rather than those of mainstream medicine.The head of the American Public Health Association (APHA) said the organisation would oppose Kennedy’s nomination. APHA’s executive director Georges Benjamin said on BBC’s Newsday programme that he has no health background and has “already caused great damage in health in the country”, referring to Kennedy’s scepticism of vaccines.So, where does Kennedy stand on key issues and what does the science say?Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump at a campaign event in Duluth, Georgia, before the presidential election (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)VaccinesPolicy: This area is many doctors’ biggest concern over Kennedy, who claims that childhood vaccines cause autism, something that has been disproven multiple times. Kennedy has stated that he doesn’t intend to ban or limit access to vaccines, and US vaccine policies are set by an expert panel of doctors, the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices, with some variation from state to state.He could, however, try to roll back state laws that children must have had certain shots before they can attend school or daycare – a move that would probably outrage US doctors, although many other countries, such as the UK, leave the choice to parents.And any such anti-vaccine policies or rhetoric from such a high-profile politician could lower parents’ confidence in childhood vaccines. As the US has such a large world influence, anti-vaccine sentiments could also increase in the UK and elsewhere. “If this makes families hesitate to immunise against the deadly diseases that threaten children, the consequence will be fatal for some,” said Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, a vaccine developer at the University of Oxford.Verdict: Kennedy’s views on vaccine safety are science fiction rather than science fact.UK impact: If vaccine wars break out in US, anti-vaccine sentiment may rise everywhere.Ultra-processed foodPolicy: Kennedy has a plan, endorsed by Trump, to “Make America Healthy Again”, by reversing the country’s rising rates of chronic disease, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. He blames the modern diet’s reliance on highly processed foods, also called ultra-processed food or UPF. Kennedy wants to strip UPF from school lunches and ban people from using food stamps to buy it.The US certainly has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, but it’s debated by scientists whether UPF is to blame or if the modern diet just has too much fat and sugar. While UPF tends to be high in fat and sugar, not all is, and the fear is that demonising UPF as a category could put people off healthy foods that are also highly processed, like wholemeal bread, high-fibre cereals, yogurt and baked beans.“While RFK Jr’s desire to tackle chronic conditions, including obesity, is commendable, how he might go about it is less clear,” said Dr David Elliman, a paediatrician at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.Verdict: UPF science is still uncertain but here, Kennedy has captured the diet zeitgeist.UK impact: Probably none – no one has yet figured out how to significantly change public eating habits.Read NextFood additivesPolicy: Another of Kennedy’s targets is additives in modern food, such as colourings and other artificial chemicals, which he wants to ban. But there is no good evidence that these are harmful. As in the UK, new ingredients are generally tested before they can be added to food. Past concerns that food colourings could cause hyperactivity in children were unfounded.Verdict: This colourful claim is hard to swallow.UK impact: Probably none, unless similar concerns spread to the UK.Pesticides in farmingPolicy: Kennedy has also railed against the use of pesticides in farming, saying their presence in food contributes to many different chronic diseases.Verdict: He may have a point. Some pesticides used in the US are banned for safety reasons in the UK and Europe.UK impact: Probably none, if the US bans chemicals that are already banned here.GMOs in farmingPolicy: While there is little use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in farming in the UK and the rest of Europe, they are widespread in the US. Again, Kennedy wants to ban GMO food for health reasons. But the scientific consensus is that GMO plants have no inherent risks. They have been used in the US since 1994 – and today, 90 per cent of the soya beans and corn grown there is genetically modified. If GMOs were bad for us, we would have seen evidence of it by now.It is hard to imagine how Kennedy could force through a ban, given US farming is so dependent on GMOs. But he succeeds, it might reduce chances of UK introduction of GMO food, which some scientists are working towards.Verdict: No good science supports Kennedy’s anti-GMO stance.UK impact: It could influence GMO debate here.Big PharmaPolicy: Kennedy has said his number one target is the US Food and Drug Administration, which oversees regulation of the country’s pharmaceuticals and food. He has accused some agency staff of doing the bidding of Big Pharma and Big Food. “FDA’s war on public health is about to end,” Kennedy said on X in October. “If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Preserve your records, and 2. Pack your bags.”In Kennedy’s defence, many scientists say the agency is too close to industry and should be more transparent. They have also criticised recent FDA decisions to approve certain medications, including the Alzheimer’s treatment, aducanumab. This got FDA go-ahead against the advice of the agency’s own experts, who said there was not enough evidence that the medicine slows memory loss. If RFK Jr directs his energies to ensuring more transparency from pharmaceutical companies, “it would be no bad thing”, said Dr Elliman.Verdict: There is no evidence for FDA corruption but the agency is probably overdue a shake-up.UK impact: May be minimal, as UK drug approval decisions are made independently of FDA.Water fluoridationPolicy: About two-thirds of US homes get tap water that contains the mineral fluoride, as this strengthens teeth and prevents decay. Kennedy claims it can cause cancer and called the substance an “industrial waste”.But decisions on water fluoridation are taken at local levels and it’s unclear if Kennedy could affect them.Verdict: The evidence of harm from water fluoridation is weak.UK impact: Probably none. About a tenth of the UK water supply is fluoridated, but it is not generally a contentious issue.Raw milkOnly a small proportion of the US public are thought to consume or even want to consume milk that hasn’t been pasteurised, in other words, heat-treated to kill bacteria. Yet the issue is often in US news, perhaps because it is emblematic of the conflict between individuals’ rights and government regulation. Raw milk fans claim it contains immune-boosting enzymes that are destroyed by heating. Scientists say it also contains deadly bacteria and viruses.Laws on raw milk vary from state to state, but Kennedy has said he wants it to be legal everywhere. His timing is particularly poor because bird flu is infecting an increasing number of US dairy herds, said Dr Simon Williams, a public health researcher at Swansea University. “Drinking raw milk will be a prime risk factor for starting a bird flu pandemic,” he said.Verdict: Few doctors think raw milk is a good idea.UK impact: Raw milk is sold by only a few UK farms, under stringent safety precautions. But if this trend makes the US the starting point for a bird flu pandemic, the impact will be global.

IIT Madras And IIT Palakkad Launch Collaborative Educational Initiative For Science Course

Science and Health

The institute had launched its 4-year BS in Data Science and Applications program in June 2020. New Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad have collaborated to benefit students through shared resources, research internships and immersive summer programmes. The collaboration agreement seeks to capitalise on the strengths of…