Author ‘really proud’ to win three awards for children’s picture book

Arts & Culture, Books

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565Visit Shots! nowThis article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.An author near Banbury has said she is really proud to win three awards for her Christmas-themed children’s picture book.Emily Lloyd-Gale was delighted that her book ‘The Moose That Saved Christmas’ was celebrated at this year’s Page Turner Awards.The Barford St John writer from took home the ‘Best Illustrated Book’, ‘Best Children’s Picture Book’ and ‘Adaptation Needed for Animation’ awards for her 2023 release.Having previously reached the finals of the CLF Book Awards and the Ink Book Prize earlier this year, Emily wasn’t sure what to expect at the Page Turner Awards event.Emily Lloyd-Gale is delighted to be recognised with three Page Turner Awards for her children’s picture book, ‘The Moose That Saved Christmas’.Emily said: “I couldn’t believe it when they read out my name for these awards. Having reached the shortlisted stage for the others, I wasn’t confident that I’d get any further, but am so happy that I can now call myself a three-times award-winning author!“Both my books have been a labour of love, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my husband, family, and of course my illustrator Lorna Humphreys.“To see how much they’re being loved and enjoyed by so many makes me really proud. I hope they continue to be read for years to come.”Inspired by her youth and experiences of bullying at school, Emily’s ‘The Moose That Saved Christmas’ tells the story of Maurice and his moose friends working together to try and save Christmas.The Page Turner Awards are designed to give writers the chance to have their work read and shared by successful authors, industry professionals, and film producers.Continue Reading

7 best movie musicals of all time, ranked

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Anything goes when it comes to musicals. Any theater kid will tell you that the stage is where they learned there’s a place for whatever particular freak flag they’re flying. Whether it’s theater camp or a local production, the stage has offered a haven for just about every clique out there. Just pluck a kid from every cafeteria table in “High School Musical” and you’ve got yourself a musical cast.Given the often varied interests and quirks of the theater population, it’s no surprise the wide gamut of subjects, genres, cultures, time periods and music styles that make up the best and brightest musicals. To boot, there are quite a few barometers to judge installments in the genre: vocals, the music itself, the set, the script, choreography, innovation, cultural impact and showmanship.“Music Man Jr.” was my first musical stint around fifth grade, and I later went on to go to the theater camp French Woods Fest, which I’ve always considered my home away from home, a la Hogwarts. As a typical angsty Avril Lavigne wannabe, I peaked when I skateboarded down the aisle during the opening of my local “High School Musical” production. Suffice to say, there’s a home for all of us under the bright stage lights. Musicals like “Rocky Horror” and “Sweeney Todd” are proof of that.So, between films like “Rent” and “Hamilton,” here are the seven best movie musicals of all time, ranked in descending order, that you can stream right now. If your favorites didn’t make the cut, you’re not alone. I spent hours going back and forth between the classics, cult classics that redefined the genre, and musicals that are just too good to leave off.7. ‘The Greatest Showman’

The Greatest Showman | Official HD Trailer #1 | 2017 – YouTube

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I went back and forth between “Grease” and “The Greatest Showman” for a full 30 minutes. I know, “Grease” is a pivotal classic, but the Hugh Jackman-led film is the movie musical equivalent of the theater experience: a bunch of misfits coming together and creating a found family. There’s also no denying that “Grease” hasn’t exactly aged well. To boot, the complex soundtrack and stellar vocals of “The Greatest Showman” stand a bit stronger (I know, I know, even I’m scandalized by this hot take, but I have to be objective).The circus crowd is a lot like the theater community, which powers the movie’s plot. The film centers on the story of P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and the formation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1800s. With an often haunting and inspirational soundtrack, the vocals are as breathtaking as the unique circus stunts the movie offers. Songs like “Never Enough,” “Rewrite the Stars,” and “This is Me” will stick with you long after you watch the musical, as do strong performances by Jackman, Zac Efron (Phillip Carlyle), and Zendaya (Anne Wheeler).Michael Gracey directed the 2017 movie, while Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon wrote it. Joseph Trapanese and John Debney helmed the composition. The film also stars Michelle Williams (Charity Barnum), Rebecca Ferguson (Jenny Lind), and Keala Settle (Lettie Lutz). Additionally, people might not realize that Ferguson didn’t actually belt the vocals of “Never Enough.” They were instead recorded by performer Loren Allred, who deserves far more credit for the stellar number.Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!Watch on Disney Plus6. ‘Sweeney Todd’Johnny Depp’s “Sweeney Todd” reigns supreme when it comes to horror movie musicals. On top of the incredible sets that bring 19th-century London to life, the film seamlessly weaves Sweeney’s tragic backstory to life as the barber goes on a revenge-filled throat-slitting spree and starts straight-up baking people into pies.My love for the musical was so intense that my high school chorus teacher waived the “you must be in school the day of a performance” rule to let me partake in a medley from the show during our annual POPS concert because she knew how obsessed I was. In fact, if I had to pick a dream role, it would be Mrs. Lovett. I will never forgive myself for missing the Broadway run when I stuck with my habit of procrastinating seeing long-term shows until it’s too late.So, what is the secret ingredient to make a great pie? People, obviously (for legal purposes this is a joke). At least, that’s what puts Mrs. Lovett’s “Worst Pies in London” pie shop on the map. You won’t really find much dancing in “Sweeney Todd,” but the mechanics of the set more than makes up for it. However, the comically terrible fake blood is one major drawback of the film.Alongside chaotically intense performances by Depp (Sweeney Todd) and Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett) is the villainous team-up between Alan Rickman (Judge Turpin) and Timothy Spall (Beadle), which should delight “Harry Potter” fans. Meanwhile, Sacha Baron Cohen played Pirelli, Jamie Campbell Bower took on Anthony, and Jayne Wisener played Johanna.The haunting melody of “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” paired with iconic numbers like “Not While I’m Around” and “Opening Title” made a lasting impact on fans, who might not realize that it’s a Stephen Sondheim musical. Naturally, Tim Burton directed the 2007 movie written by John Logan, Hugh Wheeler, and Christopher Bond.Watch on Paramount Plus with Showtime5. ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’

The Rocky Horror Picture Show | #TBT Trailer | 20th Century FOX – YouTube

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Some cult classics take on a life of their own and quickly become a pop culture phenomenon. That was certainly the case for “Rocky Horror” — a movie musical with a lasting legacy. Not only did the Tim Curry flop-turned-hit help establish the campy horror genre within musicals, but the LGBTQ+ themes caused it to become a safe haven for the queer community.Sure, the soundtrack may not be as vocally stellar as other installments in the genre, but it’s not meant to be. And OK, the sets aren’t perfect. But again, they’re not really supposed to be. That’s the only reason it isn’t ranked higher. What began as a low-budget satire morphed into something larger-than-life. Nearly 50 years after “Rocky Horror” debuted, swarms of people all over the world partake in live cast showings, keeping the film’s spirit alive.The movie kicks off with vanilla couple Brad and Janet stumbling across a mansion filled with aliens who coax them out of their shells and encourage them to embrace their sexual identities. Meanwhile, Curry’s crossdressing character Dr. Frank-N-Furter marked some of the earliest subtle trans representations (especially because he doesn’t exist to be the butt of the joke). Songs like “Sweet Transvestite” and “Science Fiction/Double Feature” are certainly standouts, but “The Time Warp” is easily the most recognizable number from the film. Petition for “The Time Warp” to permanently replace “Cupid Shuffle” when it comes to choreographed party songs. Who’s with meRichard O’Brien and Richard Harris composed the musical, which was directed by Jim Sharman and co-written by him and O’Brien. The movie stars Susan Sarandon (Janet), Barry Bostwick (Brad), Richard O’Brien (Riff Raff), Patricia Quinn (Magenta), Nell Campbell (Columbia), Jonathan Adams (Dr. Scott), and Peter Hinwood (Rocky Horror).Watch on Hulu4. ‘West Side Story’ (2021)

Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” | Official Trailer | 20th Century Studios – YouTube

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Don’t come for me, but we’re primarily talking about the 2021 “West Side Story” remake here. I know, I know, the original is a classic — and remakes are rarely better than the OG. But in this case, if we’re honest with ourselves, the original wasn’t very good. The whitewashing was quite problematic and the racism was palpable. Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg’s update did a stellar job of updating the story and casting to be less offensive.Original 1961 Anita even returned in the remake to play Valentina, which was one of the most delightful performances in the show. However, Rachel Zeglar is the shining star as María, with stunning vocals and a gut-wrenching performance. Ansel Elgort took on the role of Tony — the Romeo to María’s Juliet in the modern adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play. In this musical, instead of the Capulets and Montagues, we have the Jets (white American teens) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican teens).Not only is the choreography of the film captivating, but the heartbreaking performances will certainly stick with you. “One Hand, One Heart,” “I Feel Pretty,” and “The Rumble” are just a few of the memorable numbers. Tony Kushner adapted the screenplay based on Arthur Laurents’ play. The cast includes Ariana DeBose (Anita), David Alvarez (Bernardo), Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke), and Josh Rivera (Chino).Watch on Disney Plus2. ‘Hamilton’

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Sometimes, a musical is so innovative that it immediately transforms theater as we know it. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” was an immediate hit on Broadway, captivating audiences with its unique take on American history. The musical is a fictional account of founding father Alexander Hamilton and how he and the other founding fathers helped shape the United States. Of course, we also get a deep dive into his dramatic personal life.The innovative factor comes from the fact that the music combines hip-hop, R&B, and jazz with a musical theater twist. While most movie adaptations of popular musicals don’t get made quickly enough to snag the original Broadway cast, “Hamilton” not only features the OG cast but was recorded live, giving it a deeper theater feel.Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton) wrote the 2020 movie musical alongside Ron Chernow, while Thomas Kail directed. Miranda was also responsible for scoring the musical. The cast includes Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton), Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler), Daveed Diggs (Marquis de Lafayette), and Jonathan Groff (King George). Some of the catchiest numbers include “Aaron Burr, Sir,” “My Shot,” and “Alexander Hamilton.” The choreography and set design are also iconic in their own right.Watch on Disney Plus2. ‘Rent’

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The aftermath of the ‘80s AIDS epidemic is still felt both in and out of the theater community today. Given how theater has always been a safe haven for LGBTQ+ performers, the community was hit hard. Nearly 25 years after the AIDS epidemic began, “Rent” shined a spotlight on people living with the condition that attacks the immune system and the devastating losses that plagued the ’80s and ’90s.The show focuses on an ensemble cast, showcasing a group of largely queer friends as they navigate life in NYC and contend with two of their friends’ AIDS diagnoses and a former(ish) friend who becomes a greedy landlord. Songs like “Seasons of Love,” “Take Me Or Leave Me,” and “La Vie Boheme” are theater classics. We also have “Rent” to thank for teaching us how many minutes are in a year ( 525,600) — which is definitely useful information to keep in your back pocket.Chris Columbus directed the movie, which was written by Stephen Chbosky and Jonathan Larson (who also wrote the score). The cast includes Taye Diggs (Ben), Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Angel), Rosario Dawson (Mimi), Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen), Adam Pascal (Roger Davis), Jesse L. Martin (Tom), Idina Menzel (Maureen), and Tracie Thomas (Joanne).Watch free on Hoopla1. ‘The Sound of Music’

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When we think of the musical classics, “The Sound of Music” is a top contender. The 1965 film doesn’t have a single “skip” number, and it’s one of those movies that has something for every age. We have storylines for the young kids, a coming-of-age plot for Liesl (Charmian Carr) and an adult romance between Maria (Julie Andrews) and Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer).Maria, a young woman in an Austrian convent, gets sent to be a governess for Georg and his seven kids. The Austrian setting in the 1930s-set musical adds a level of depth to the plotline, as World War II is imminent and the family is anti-Nazi. As a result, it tackles a lot of history and human rights topics that are important for kids and adult audiences to be aware of and contemplate to prevent these kinds of atrocities from happening again. Fans might not realize that the musical is actually based on the true story of Maria von Trapp.Everything about “The Sound of Music” is just classic. The film even won Best Picture at the 1966 Academy Awards, which isn’t a common feat for musicals. You can’t go wrong with a performance by Andrews and the memorable songs (the real von Trapp family did perform around the world, after all). “The Sound of Music” does have more of a picturesque movie setting than that of a stage and the choreography is fairly simple, but it’s regarded as one of the best movies of all time and has more than earned the title of best musical.Maria doesn’t just teach the von Trap kids, either. She taught us music notes with “Do-Re-Mi” and how to look on the bright side with “My Favorite Things.” Other standouts include “Sixteen Going On Seventeen,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” and “The Sound of Music.”Robert Wise directed the film written by Georg Hurdalek, Howard Lindsay, and Russel Crouse. Meanwhile, Richard Rodgers, Irwin Kostal, and Oscar Hammerstein II composed the musical. That’s a lot of people to bring one musical to life.Watch on Disney PlusMore from Tom’s Guide

Irish author’s book tackling teen mental health epidemic was inspired by personal experience

Arts & Culture, Books

AUTHOR Annette Sills claims her latest book was inspired by the struggles she saw her children face as they navigated their teenage years.
Wigan-born, to parents from Co. Mayo, Sills released Derailed last month – her third novel and one which is based on her own life experiences.
Sills writes stories that are set among the Irish diaspora in Manchester, the community which she is from.
As such many of her characters are second generation Irish, or Irish immigrants who have made their lives in the English city.
Irish author Annette Sills has published her third book
Her previous books have used that prism to tackle topics including Ireland’s clerical abuse scandal and its brutal mother and baby homes system.
While her latest novel takes a more general topic – that of teenage mental health – it retains strong Irish links.
“Derailed, moves between county Mayo, and the Irish communities in Manchester and Long Island, New York,” Sills told The Irish Post.
“It is the story of three families with three troubled teenagers whose lives are thrown off track during the turbulent years between Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic,” she adds.
“I wrote it when my own children were in their teens, and at its core is the theme of teenage mental health.”
Sills claims the pressures her children have faced in recent years are far worse than any anxiety she experienced in her youth.
“As a teenager in the seventies and eighties, I had my own anxieties, who doesn’t at that age?” she says.
“My two greatest fears were being vaporised by a nuclear bomb on the way to school, and later on, contracting Aids from a variety of ways, including sitting on a public toilet seat or by snogging a stranger,” she admits.
“But these fears, whilst terrifying at the time, were fleeting and transient and did not affect my everyday life,’ the author adds.
“I plodded on with school, my Saturday job and weekend nights out with my mates.
“Fast forward forty years to my own children’s teenage years and to a very different world.
Sills’ latest book tackles the teenage mental health epidemic
“The years between 2016 and 2021 were a period of massive global upheaval – Brexit, international terrorism, (here in Manchester we had the Arena bombing) austerity measures and the Covid pandemic.
“My kids and their peers watched it all unfold 24/7 on smart phones which had also given them the ‘gift’ of social media.
“When my kids entered secondary school, it felt as if an epidemic had taken hold.
“Children I knew who had skipped happily into the primary school gates only a couple of years before started suffering with a variety of mental health issues: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, self harm, suicidal thoughts, OCD, ADHD, sleep disorders.
“They fell like branches and leaves in a storm, and it was heartbreaking to witness.”
Sills has channeled those experiences into her new book, which is written from the point of view of three mothers.
“Each is facing their own battles as well as that of their troubled teens,’ she explains.
“Eileen, a native of County Mayo, is desperate to return to Ireland after the Brexit referendum, but her path is littered with obstacles.
“Single mum Michelle, raised in Manchester with Belfast parents, cannot shrug off her family’s republican past, and is looking for love, while Londoner Anne is haunted  by her beloved father’s violent death,” she adds.
Describing the book, Sill said it is “a story about parental love, Irish identity, friendship, and an attempt to portray the fragilities of teenage mental health in a world gone mad”.
Published by Poolbeg Press, Derailed is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

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The Importance Of Getting Data Right Before Using AI In Your Business

Business News

Ashok Manoharan, Founder/CTO FocusLabs.

Businesses across a plethora of sectors—including healthcare, finances, e-commerce and even manufacturing—are rapidly embracing artificial intelligence (AI). AI has a knack for automating repetitious work, interpreting voluminous data and forecasting potential ramifications.

However, there’s a catch. Before you rush into integrating AI into business practices, you must first ensure the data is accurate.

AI systems are data-hungry. They use what is referred to as “training data” because these datasets act as educational content for the AI model. If the data is inadequate, incomplete or incorrect, the developed AI will yield poor and/or erroneous outcomes. Having optimum performing AI models within your business all stems from having the correct and appropriate data—organized, clean and comprehensive.

Why Good Data Is So Important For AI
1. AI lacks the capability or willingness to set objectives.
The tools encapsulated by AI processes are not natively innovative. AI is a trained performance model that looks for guidance from the data to create objectives and maximize functionalities. For instance, before it can forecast customer actions or enhance a certain procedure, AI has to study historical data to obtain such frameworks. For AI to provide any valid results, it must draw on accurate and relevant data.

2. Don’t throw garbage in if you expect to get something clear.
A popular adage in the tech industry is “garbage in, garbage out.” Bad results are the consequences of putting unnecessary or dirty data into an AI system. It doesn’t matter how sophisticated your AI is, the bad data is going to let you down.

If your data is incomplete or has bias or errors, the AI output will mirror all of these issues. However, if you have clean data, AI can properly analyze that data and support the business strategy with proper insights—allowing you to trust the AI’s advice to improve the business’s operations, marketing and customer care.

3. AI can’t fix bad data—it makes it worse.
Many people view AI as some magic wand that can instantly clean or fix data problems. However, AI can actually exacerbate the data issues if it is operating under flawed data.
For instance, if there are inaccuracies or biases within the data, AI will always depend on such flaws—thereby disrupting your operations. Having proper data organization can allow AI to accelerate the pace of business operations without fail, as well as increase overall productivity.
Ensuring The Data Is Fit For AI Usage
Properly investing in data quality early in the process can help support business strategy and finances. Trying to remedy errant data at later stages can be costly. Correcting it at the beginning can prevent important mistakes from occurring in the first place.
Here’s how to get started.
• Tidy the data. Begin by identifying and correcting errors, eliminating duplication and verifying data accuracy. Normalize data that comes from various systems so the AI can work with it.
• Complex data integration. Bring data from different places (e.g., sales transactions, salaries both in U.S. dollars and other global currencies, or customer info) into one place to allow AI to have a more complete look at all needed features for better suggestions.
• Appropriate data management roles. Enforce data governance rules for clear ownership and responsibilities regarding security, privacy, compliance, etc.
• Get rid of bias. Examine data to identify gender biases, racial biases, etc., and fix them so the AI does not perpetuate or exaggerate unfair results.
• Refresh data. Keep your data freshly updated, as AI systems can generate relevant insights and output only when working with the latest information.
Start With The Data
AI can improve your organization and bring new ways of doing business. Regardless of your AI’s sophistication level, however, it will not function properly in the absence of good data. Before getting into AI, be sure to enter, clean, standardize and organize your data. This will enable you to possess a solid base for success and also ensure AI provides the useful insights and outcomes you need to achieve.
If the data quality is addressed first, AI can be fully unleashed within the organization—signifying the long-term viability and profitability of the organization.
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Bam! Scientists study wind farm construction noise impacts on lobsters… by making big noises

Science and Health

Thirteen feet below the surface of Woods Hole harbor, a lobster shelters under a plastic shield in a wire cage. An experiment is happening: every seven seconds on the dock above, a pile driver pounds a long, steel post deeper into the muddy harbor bottom nearby.Each strike creates an underwater boom. Above the water, the noise is even more piercing. Andria Salas, a marine biologist from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), spends the day with ear protection always at the ready.Part of her job is to handle the 50-odd lobsters involved in the experiment. She’s collecting data about the animals’ heart rates and movements every time the pile driver strikes. To do that, she must outfit each lobster with a specialized tag. “It’s a lobster saddle,” she says, demonstrating how the tags are strapped around a lobster’s middle. Salas says she woke up with the idea for the wearable tags. Each one is made using a snorkel mouthpiece, custom circuit board, and Velcro belt. “It’s worked pretty well,” Salas says. “We’ve never had one fall off.”Aran Mooney, the lead scientist on the project, puts it this way: “They’re basically Fitbits for lobster.”Read all of CAI’s reporting on offshore wind hereThe experiment happening here at this dock is designed to replicate, at small scale, the pile driving necessary to construct an offshore wind farm. The goal is to understand how a variety of marine creatures — not only lobsters, but other fish-market-friendly species like scallops, flounder, black sea bass, and squid — respond to the noisy, intensive work of building an offshore wind farm.It’s something fishers and regulators are especially interested in. “No one’s analyzed lobster heart rate data in respect to sound exposure or these stress responses,” Mooney says. “So this is kind of completely new.”

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More research needed as offshore wind industry faces challenges The steel pole Mooney’s team uses is only one foot in diameter, compared to massive 30-foot-wide piles used by offshore wind developers. But the data the team is gathering can be scaled up, Mooney said. “Being 5 or 10 meters away from our piling here is the equivalent to being about 200 or 300 meters away from an offshore wind farm [under construction, as far as] the sound levels that you would receive,” Mooney said. This experiment is funded by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. It comes at a time when the offshore wind industry faces numerous challenges, including rising costs and a skeptical president-elect. At a rally in May, Donald Trump vowed to end offshore wind on “day one” of his second term.

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Researcher Youenn Jezequel gets in the water to check on some of the study subjects.

For his part, Mooney said he’s not working for — or against — offshore wind. He’s a scientist studying animals; for him it’s all about tracking heart rates and signs of stress.“We don’t know if these lobsters are responding to sound,” he said. “We don’t know if that response is negative. It could be positive. Or it could be no response at all.”Underwater species show mixed response to pile-driving noiseAlready, the WHOI team’s earlier studies have shown that squid, which detect sound through vibration, responded dramatically to pile-driving noise — at least, at first.“They ink, they jet,” Mooney said. “They color-change and respond to this noise. But they habituate quickly. They’re not getting deafened, and they kind of go back to their normal behavior of feeding and trying to mate really quickly. So with that data, you can kind of say, ‘Okay, I think the squid fishery is probably going to be okay.’”

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Marine biologist Sierra Jarriel handles a flounder before it’s outfitted with a tag, placed in a cage, and dropped underwater.

But it’s a different story for scallops, one of the highest value fisheries in the U.S. As soon as scallops were exposed to pile driving noise, they clammed up.“[With] every strike, they close a little, and then they try and open, and they close a little, and then try and open. And they don’t habituate to that sound,” Mooney said. “That’s very, very exhausting for the scallop.”As far as lobsters go, Salas said they may find that the noise is making the crustaceans’ hearts skip a beat. “We’re looking at things called cardiac pauses that crustaceans can have,” she said. “They can do that when they sense something in their environment is startling or a stressor.” Earplugs for lobsters? Scientists look for sound mitigation ideas

Eve Zuckoff

Lobsters and other study subjects are placed in underwater cages, 15 feet away from the pile driver.

Offshore wind developers are already aware of problems that construction noise may create for marine life. To absorb pile-driving sound and protect whales, Vineyard Wind is using “bubble curtains” — walls of air bubbles, released from the ocean bottom. It’s a good start, Mooney said, but not targeted for the entire ecosystem. “A lot of the mitigation measures are not designed for animals on the bottom, the fishery species that are detecting the vibratory component of sound,” he said. “That’s really just so fundamentally different.”The WHOI team ultimately hopes to identify best practices to make construction noise less harmful to the bottom-dwellers. For instance, they’re looking at how lobsters respond when the pile driving is ramped up slowly.Analyzing the data they collected will take about a year. The researchers hope to be back here in Woods Hole Harbor, running more experiments — and wearing ear protection — next fall.