Like mysteries? The “Murder by the Book” club offers a chance to talk about what you are reading or have read. The group meets at 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at Sunrise Apartments, 21st and Green Street, Yankton.Tasty snacks are available before discussion of books starts. After everyone has their drink of choice and hors d’oeuvres, the book-sharing begins.
If you’re opting for business rescue, don’t underestimate the complexities of dealing with Sars 14 January 2025 – 05:00 If you’ve been keeping an eye on the world of business rescue in SA, last week’s high court judgment involving the SA Revenue Service (Sars) and JBSA Props probably caught your attention. It’s a landmark case, but more than that it’s a wake-up call for anyone involved in saving struggling businesses. More importantly are the trade-offs the taxman needs to consider when it comes to securing its rights as a preferred creditor over saving businesses and securing ongoing tax income. Here’s the gist: JBSA Props thought its approved business rescue plan would wipe out Sars’ VAT claims from the time the company’s subsidiary, Wilmeg Investments, was in rescue during Covid-19 in May of 2020. Sars said: “Not so fast.” And the court? Well, it sided with Sars, making it clear that tax debts incurred during business rescue aren’t so easily erased — unless Sars explicitly agrees. It’s a big deal and it has left a lot of people asking hard questions about how business rescue really works in…
Some people frolic in the European Middle Age, whereas most people hearing that designation think hair loss and weight gain. And that is too bad, because there and then resided Geoffrey Chaucer, the second greatest poet in English. If only the selective reading public knew better, they would be dazzled by his masterwork, The Book of Troilus (mid-1480s, prior to The Canterbury Tales). Moreover, we have been put on notice of its greatness, not only more than once but once again.But not by Geoffrey Chaucer: Unveiling the Merry Bard. In it, Mary Flannery seeks to ‘unveil’ the reputation of Chaucer as a fundamentally good-humored chap, what C. S. Lewis has called our ‘supreme poet of happiness’. He is not that, we are told, in two hundred and seven pages consisting of eight chapters and much end matter. Her basic premise bubbling throughout (and sometimes boiling over) is simple: Chaucer is great, Chaucer was a mysogenist (rather than occasionally nodding to a long-standing anit-feminist literary tradition, often ironically).
Through the lense of dogma, Chaucer’s depictions of women, as well as elements of his marriage, are adduced to convict him. All close calls go against him; for example, mockery of women is sincere, recantations are not. Ambiguity is allowed, but not nuance. There is some adroit literary criticism, but the ideology, though never strident, becomes tireseome. Chapter Five, Laughing at Women, Flannery’s centerpiece, is the nutshell of her complaint. Noting the “disparities” of Chaucer’s work (and life), she allows that the bright sides are “possible” but implies they are unlikely. Since The Book of Troilus simply does not fit its own narrative devices beyond the veil of dogma, it is virtually ignored.
On the other hand, the actual reminder of the greatness of The Book of Troilus is David Wallace’s Geoffrey Chaucer: A New Introduction (ommited, as are the other sources I will cite, from Flannery’s text and bibliographies). Within his prescribed limits (a bit more than forty thousand words), Prof. Wallace has produced a superb introduction: supple, authoritative, fresh, energetic.
The seven chapters are: Beginnings; Schoolrooms, Science, Female Intuition; A Life in Poetry; Poetry at Last: Troilus and Criseyde; Organizing, Disorganizing: The Canterbury Tales; Something to Believe In; and Performance and New Chaucers. The final thirty pages provide a timeline (helpfully not limited to Chaucer’s own life) and a useful index between which is the bibliography: one hundred and fifty-three primary and secondary sources, five manuscript collections, fourteen multi-media and theatrical items, and ten web-based sources. Here and there within the chapters are sixteen illustrations and two boxes, a mnemonic device for the four-fold method of interpretation and the fragment order of the Canterbury Tales in the Ellesmere manuscript. A feature worthy of note is Prof. Wallace’s use of Chaucer’s own Middle English in his quotations (with marginal glosses). Smack in the middle of the book is Poetry at Last: Troilus and Criseyde.
First, though, comes our plot, certainly more intriguing than than that of Othello, in five books. During the Trojan War – audaciously marginalized by the narrator – the Trojan Calchas, a soothsayer, predicts the fall of Troy and flees to the Greek side, leaving behind his daughter, Criseyde. Meanwhile, Troilus, a prince of Troy (brother to the great warrior Hector), has mocked his companions for their love-sick talk. As punishment, Cupid hits him in his heart with an arrow, causing him to fall in love with Criseyde. He consults Criseyde’s uncle Pandarus who will help the knight – the code of medieval Courtly Love, i.e. chivalrous romance outside of marriage, demands that rank – to declare his love.
Pandarus manipulates his niece variously (e.g. she’s not getting any younger). After dreaming of Troilus as an eagle, she agrees to receive, and to write, a letter. Later Pandarus contrives a dinner with his niece at which Troilus is hidden. Pandarus does more pandering, and Criseyde agrees to see Troilus, who suddenly appears and – very soon they become blissful lovers. However, Pandarus forewarns Troilus: be true to Criseyde (he could be nothing but), and beware.
Calchas returns: the Greeks will yield Antenor, advisor to king Priam, if Criseyde returns with her father to the Greek camp. She and Troilus discuss their options, at last agreeing that she will go with Calchas but, after a short spell, will return to Troy. Once in the greek camp, however, Criseyde is wooed by Diomede, to whom she surrenders, telling Troilus that, under her father’s watchful eye, it is impossible to return. Troilus is killed in battle by Achilles and ascends to the eighth sphere of Heaven, whence he looks down fondly on those who mourn for him.
Amidst much richnes of context and literary detail, we learn from Wallace of the development of Chaucer’s art, especially of his own representation of ‘Chaucer’. We learn further that Chaucer worried over his “newly-hatching reputation as a besmircher of women,” and that he knew he was now legitimately a poet, one of European breadth who could stand with “Vergil, Ovid, Homer, Lucan and Statius” (a trope, we are told, used by Jean de Meun in the Romance of the Rose, by Dante, and by Boccaccio). I do not exaggerate when I say the book is a page-turner – and that, before we get to the main attraction.
When I first read The Book of Troilus I thought it the most contemporary fiction I had read to that point: a narrator’s movement into and out of the story as well as the consciousness of its characters, the ambiguity of that narrator’s stance, the manipulativeness of Pandarus (Criseyde’s uncle pandering her), the placement of the story within a wider narrative (that of the Trojan War), and its utter reversal from comedy to tragedy. Wallace cofirmes that impression.
In Chaucer’s Prologue, the narrator (or is he? Or perhaps Wayne Booth’s Implied Author?) tells us that he will “God of Loves servants serve” but then allows that he will tell of two troubles, that of Troilus first loving Criseyede and then “how that she forsook him er she deide.” (No spoiler alert there.)
This voice (often addressing the reader in the second person) tells us he will not retell the fall of Troy but does note that Trojan life went on happily during the conflict, not least during the “lusty Veer [springtime],” with Criseyde quite enjoying herself. It is when Troilus scolds his companions for their lamenting talk of love that the narrator interrupts the philosophizing by invoking the god of Love (allegorically? Apparently not): “For sodeinly he hitte him atte fulle,” and Troilus is a gonner.
When the narrator describes Criseyde he does her full justice: “all her lines sowell answeringe / Weren to wommahood, that creature / Was never less mannish” – a verse that concludes “in seeminge.” And that, we shall learn, is the way of the world: a ‘seeminge’. This, however, is in contrast to Troilus, who is what he seems and remains steadfast: “There nas a man of gretter hardinesse / Than he, ne more diesired worthinesse” – utterly unironical.
When Pandarus enters the scene in full the psychologizing – not philosophizing – becomes pointed, whether by straight narration, attributed thought, or dramatized exchange. He is not only vital but the cause of vitality in others. Troilus will moan, Criseyde laugh, argue, and change her mind. And all the while the narrator will intrude: “Now mighte som envious jangle thus: / ‘This was a sodein love. How might it be / That she so lightly loved Troilus / Right fro the first sighte?” Indeed. Yet another implicative thread woven into the fabric, meant to be seen against the opening of the Prologue to Book Three, where we are reminded of the “blissful light” of dawn when Venus is praised as “goodly debonaire [meek]” and “Yhered [praised] for her “goodnesse,” – ironically?
At last we have uncle and niece together, Troilus present but hidden. Near the start of a twenty-four stanza sequence the two converse. But then, after meeting Criseyde, Troilus seems faint of heart, until Pandarus assures him, “Ne dreed thee nevere a deel, / For it shal be right as thou wolt desire.” The passion is intense and prolonged. Troilus travels from body part to body part: “Hire armes smale, Hire streghte bak and softe, / Hire sydes longe, flesshly, smothe and white he began to stroke” – and so on. But it is Criseyde who, as the Wife of Bath puts its, has ‘sovereignty’.
Later, “This joye na noght ywritten be with inke; / This passeth al that herte may bithinke.” Can we be surprised when Book Three ends with “Troilus’s Song” – though not sung by him? It ends, “And Troilus, in lust and in quiete, / Is with Criseyde, his owene herte sweet.” That, again, is our nearly ubiquitous narrator, who has known all from the start. Ubituitous, yes, but also nimble. “He keeps us guessing,” writes Derek Pearsall in his dispositive The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer (1992), “and contributes importantly to that element in the literature of recreation that Chaucer’s court education had taught him was so vital: its discussability.” Chaucer (not unlike his characters) is a performer.
In 1932, C. S. Lewis wrote “What Chaucer Did to ‘Il Filostrato’,” in which he meticulously demonstrates Chaucer’s narrative genius by showing how he departed from Boccaccio’s original Troilus tale. He concludes that the doctrine of chivalrous romantic love is “little palatable to the age in which we live” but that the tale shows “that certain medieval things are more universal… than certain things of the Renaissance” and, presumably, of our age as well.
Explaining further in his The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition (1936), Lewis comes close to discerning, describing, and accounting for the perpetual timeliness (not quite the same as ‘timelessness’) of Chaucer’s masterpiece. Another of Chaucer’s models, along with Boccaccio’s Il Filostrato, was the Romance of the Rose (one century earlier), a highly allegorized, quintessentially medieval “mirror of love” that Chaucer had translated. Lewis argues that he made something fresh – he does not designate it as modern – precisely because he kept the love dynamic medieval (that is, ritualistic, lofty and earthy) and did away with the allegory.
That is, in Book four Cupid (no cute putto archer) is gone, replaced by growing despair. The narrator begins his prologue (each Book has one) with, “But all too litel… Lasteth swich joye.” Once again we realize that what is about to come is a retrospective view. Fate, in the person of Calchis, is at work, he calling himself “cruel fader.” Invoking Apollo and the stars he has decided to undo the harm he has done his daughter (he believes, or does he?), having no idea of her present state. His cynicism is palpable; the narrator is silent.
Pandarus, however, is not. Hearing of the exchange offer, he persuades Troilus to accept. After all, Paris “that is thy brother” has a lover, so “why shaltou nat have another?” Besides, given how much she loves you Criseyde will understand. For her part, Criseyde is deep into the throes of self-pity, marked by “pain, torment, plainte, wo, distresse” and more. Her eyes have “two a purrple ring” from crying, but, after another imprecation from Pandarus, agrees: “I shal doon al my might me to restraine / From weeping in his [Troilus’s] sight.”
Chaucer has dramatized the episode with only the barest narrative commentary, leaving us to witness – and to ponder – the disingenuousness of the actors. He ends the book by wrenching the reader (yet again) back to the higher view of the poem’s Prologue. No one, he says, can understand or tell “The cruel paines of this sorweful man, / That passen every torment down in helle.” And so the reader is ready for the denoument.
Closer to the bone even than Wallace is commentary by E. T. Donaldson in his Chaucer’s Poetry: An Anthology for the Modern Reader (1958), with a richly and conveniently glossed Middle English that makes it accessible to the novice. He reminds us that the narrator is both in and out of the action, a pious servant of love and mere ‘translator’ who will tell us an unhappy love story, a historian relating incontrovertible fact and a onlooker speaking from undeniable experience; the tension, Donaldson rightly reports, is almost unendurable. Just so with the characters of Criseyde and Pandarus, loveable, witty, and conniving, and sincere.
Chaucer begins his final book with references to Phebes (the youthful Apollo, bright as the sun), melted snow, and Zephyrus bringing green leaves; not quite “April wih his showres soote,” for this is immediately followed by a reference to Hecuba, Troilus’ mother and “sorwe.” That foreshadows Troilus’s dream, which he relates to his sister Cassandra (she who knows the future but is never believed). Her exposition, including much mythology and history, covers sixty-two lines and quite organically leads to “Weep if thou wolt, or leef, for out of doute, / This Diomede is inne and thou are oute.” Inevitably, Troilus disbelieves his sister, calling her “thou sorceresse!”
In that state Troilus, “in battle withouten any pere, Save Ector,” is killed by Achilles. The narrator allows that, “And for ther is so greet diversitee / in English and in writing of oure tongue” – that implied author again – “So pray I God that noon miswrite thee.” He is already sending his work on its way – “Go litel book, go litel my tragedye” – to join those – and here we have it – of Virgile, Ovide, Omer, Lucan, and Stace [Statius, author of the Thebiad.”] Then the narrator sends his hero on his way: “His lighte gost ful blisfully is went / Up to the holweneesse of the eighth spere.”
In his great literary history Lewis has noted that Pandarus “sees the fatal discrepancy between the commandment of Love and the commandment of God, and becomes uneasy.” For Chaucer has shown that dualities yield the greatest insight: our human values must be upheld, yet our human values will, from the highest perspective, fade from view. Lewis continues, “the end of Troilus is the great example in our literature of pathos pure and unrelieved. All is to be endured…. [He] spares us no detail of the prolonged and sickening process of despair.”
Near the end of his masterwork, Chaucer affirms: “… and thinketh al nis but a faire, / This world that passeth soone as flowres faire – ” But that is not the very end, this is: “So make us, Jesus, for thy mercy digne, / For love of Maide and Moder thyn benigne” – a prayer Wallace must surely credit, no matter the sophisticated elusiveness of our poet.
The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.
The featured image is “Portrait of Chaucer by Thomas Hoccleve in the Regiment of Princes” (1412), and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Grady Hendrix proves that there’s never a bad time for a good scare. The horror master is back and ready to leave us with some major chills thanks to his latest novel that you certainly won’t be able to put down until the very last page. It’s almost as if he puts his own magical spell into it. And considering the fact that this is his first time writing about witches, it seems very fitting. Cosmopolitan has an exclusive look at Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, which is set to be released on January 14, 2025. The book follows a group of girls who have been sent by their families to Wellwood House in order to hide their pregnancies from the rest of the world. But when they get a book about witchcraft, well, the power shifts in more ways than one. Check out the official description below from our friends at Berkley:There’s power in a book…They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood.In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR). Trust us that when we say that you won’t be able to look away from the page as soon as you start reading. Ready to get your heart pumping and dive into this story? You can check out an exclusive excerpt below! Just make sure to pre-order the book and also check out some of Grady’s books while you’re at it! Oh, and did we mention that Grady wrote an exclusive intro for us as well?Set in 1970 in a home for unwed mothers in Florida, ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ is about four pregnant teenagers—Rose, Fern, Holly, and Zinnia—who have been hidden from the world to have their babies. They don’t know what childbirth will be like, they don’t know what will happen to their babies afterwards except they’ll never see them again, Albert Mitchell and no one will answer their questions. The doctors say their morning sickness is all in their minds. The social workers say they should pretend none of this ever happened. The only person who provides them with any information is Miss Parcae, an elderly librarian who visits once a month at the wheel of the local bookmobile. She gives the girls a book called ‘How to Be a Groovy Witch’ that seems like a supermarket paperback containing a bunch of fake spells, but the spells cure their morning sickness. The spells let them take revenge on their enemies. The spells seem to work. But only a few of them. The rest are written in a language the girls can’t understand. Now, in the middle of the crushing June heat of a Florida summer the girls sneak out of the house to go swimming, following an enormous black dog that seems to have been sent by supernatural forces. – Grady HendrixAn Excerpt From Witchcraft for Wayward GirlsBy Grady HendrixRead by Leslie Howard, Hillary Huber, Sara Morsey“Ahem.” A woman cleared her throat.They pushed away from each other, arms and legs flailing, reaching for bathrobes and nightgowns, arms wrapping around their bodies, covering their breasts, heads swiveling, looking for the voice.The librarian stood on the riverbank above them, the big black dog sitting beside her. Its twin sat on her other side, mirrors of each other, tongues lolling out, panting soundlessly, staring at the girls.The librarian stood between them, hands clasped, handbag looped over one wrist, heels touching in their clunky black librarian shoes, her face bland in the soft moonlight. She wore a black jacket with red piping over a black skirt. She looked like she should be behind the desk collecting overdue fines, not standing in front of four naked girls covering themselves up with their nightgowns.Finally, Rose said, “Can we help you or something?”“I believe you’ve been using my book,” the librarian said. “To cure various intestinal complaints.”Automatically Fern tried to calculate how much trouble they were in.“Very creative,” the librarian said, and the corners of her mouth lifted in a grandmotherly smile. “When I heard that, I thought, I really must speak to these girls.”“How long have you been spying on us?” Rose asked, rolling up her T‑shirt to pull it over her head.“Stop,” the librarian said, and Rose stopped. “You should remain skyclad. That’s what it means, you know. Exposing your body to the light of the moon.”“You’re a witch,” Fern said.“No, dear,” Miss Parcae said. “I’m a librarian.”She started carefully down the bank toward them. Her dogs stayed behind, motionless. Zinnia couldn’t take her eyes off them.“Are those your dogs?” she asked.“My dogs?” Miss Parcae looked back at the dogs like she’d never seen them before. “I certainly don’t own them. They seem to enjoy my company, but they come and go as they please.”“I really wish they’d go,” Zinnia said. Miss Parcae reached level ground. Her heels sank into the wet sand and she had to swing her arms to keep her balance. She fixed Zinnia with a look.“No one cares what you wish, my dear,” she said. “Isn’t that your problem? No one cares what any of you wish, or hope, or pray. You speak, you cry, you scream, you beg, and what good has it done you? Here you are, hidden away like unflattering photographs in some forgotten drawer, locked up for doing the most natural thing in the world.”“Thanks for your opinion,” Rose said. “Your book’s broken, by the way.”Miss Parcae placed one hand on Holly’s wet hair. Holly ducked out from under her touch.“This one has the right idea,” Miss Parcae said. “There’s power in silence.”Rose pulled her T‑shirt on and stomped past Miss Parcae to grab her underwear. Fern took that as a cue to pull her duster over her head fast, not wanting to take her eyes off Miss Parcae’s dogs.“We tried to do other spells, but we couldn’t understand the book,” Fern said.’Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ by Grady Hendrix“Then perhaps you’re not ready to read it yet,” Miss Parcae said. “You can’t beg the world to do what you want. You can’t ask it nicely. You must force the world. You must bend it to your will. That’s what the book teaches.”“And how to wash away your freckles, and get straighter hair,” Zinnia said.“It all depends on how deep you want to go,” Miss Parcae told her. “You can change the color of your eyes, or you can stop the world in its tracks. The question is, how much are you willing to pay?”“Here it comes,” Rose said. “It’s always something with your generation. You owe this, you have to pay that. Y’all have banks instead of brains and calculators for eyes.”“I’m not sure what generation you think I am,” Miss Parcae said. “But believe me when I tell you that you’ve severely miscalculated.”“What can we do?” Fern asked.“What’s that, dear?” Miss Parcae asked, all sweetness and light. “If we pay the price, what can the book teach us to do?” Fern asked.“That’s up to you,” Miss Parcae said. “But first, you have to understand all those unfamiliar words and phrases. It’s very frustrating, I’m sure. I can help. For a price.”“Yeah, I bet,” Rose said. “Never trust anyone over thirty, Fern. They’ve put a price tag on the world.” “How much?” Fern asked.“Oh, not much,” Miss Parcae said. “Just eternal loyalty and complete obedience.” A gust of wind rippled the surface of the river, and something jumped and splashed far away in the dark.“There’s the pitch,” Rose said. “Come on, y’all. I know a pusher when I hear one. She’ll have us all in robes passing out pamphlets in airports.”Fern looked at Zinnia.“She’s crazy,” Zinnia said. “And if she’s not, that’s worse. Let’s go.”Fern didn’t want to go, but she had to stick with them. She turned to Miss Parcae.“I’m sorry we used your book,” she said. “I’ll give it back to you the next time you come.”She started after Rose and Zinnia. Miss Parcae waited until they were struggling up the riverbank before she said, “Don’t think you can turn your backs on me.”The two great black dogs stood and trotted toward them, low growls rumbling so deep inside their chests Fern felt it in her bones. She froze. Zinnia froze. Holly froze. The dogs stopped growling but they stood facing the girls, bodies taut, flanks quivering.“My goodness,” Miss Parcae said from behind them. “You’re acting like I’m the devil. Girls, I want what’s best for you. I want to give you the power you need to solve your problems. I want you to be free.”Fern wanted to turn and look at Miss Parcae, but she knew that the second she moved the dogs would be on her, jaws clamped around her throat, claws tearing open her stomach.But Rose turned right around to face Miss Parcae. “Heel your mutts,” she said.“You saw what the book can do,” Miss Parcae said, coming into Fern’s field of vision. “And it can do so much more. You simply have to pledge obedience to me and turn your backs on the world of men. Is that really so much to ask?” She stood in front of Fern and waited politely, face as placid as the moon.“The first one’s always free,” Rose said. “That’s how they hook you, Fern. Come on.”“I’m sorry,” Fern said through her tight throat. “Pishposh,” Miss Parcae said. “All this fuss!”“Nobody’s interested in your pitch, grandma,” Rose said.Rose started walking again. She passed between the dogs, who growled low, in stereo. Fern knew they needed to stick together. She knew the dogs would sense the slightest hesitation. So she made her stiff legs move, following Rose. Behind her, she heard Zinnia coming through the grass. Fern passed the dogs, barely contained violence vibrating from their bodies.“No!” a girl shouted from behind them.Fern turned at the unfamiliar sound and saw Holly, standing beside Miss Parcae, forehead wrinkled, mouth frowning, fists at her sides.“You can’t go,” Holly said, and her voice was higher and clearer than Fern had imagined. “You have to help me. I’m having God’s baby.”Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Random House Audio from WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix, read by Leslie Howard, Hillary Huber and Sara Morsey. © Grady Hendrix ℗ 2024 Penguin Random House, LLC.Cover and excerpt from WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix. Text copyright (c) 2025 by Grady Hendrix. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Random House. All rights reserved.Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix will be released on January 14, 2025. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSHOP KOBO LIBRO.FM WALMART POWELL’S BOOKS HUDSON BOOKSELLERS GOOGLE PLAY EBOOKS.COM
Two of the fabric pouches from Yondr used to lock up cellphones at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School. (GeekWire File Photo / Lisa Stiffler)
School districts in Washington state would be required to enforce policies that restrict student use of phones under a new bill proposed Monday.
The bill aims to combat a “multitude of negative effects on student outcomes” due to the use of mobile devices and follows recent efforts at a handful of Washington state schools to ban phones during the academic day.
The bill cites the impact of phones on student learning and mental health. It cites distractions, reduced academic performance, and increased risks of cyberbullying.
Districts around the nation are experimenting with various forms of restrictions as educators try to rein in the widespread use of smartphones on campus.
Educators have a long list of reasons for wanting phone-free policies, but formal research is limited on the impacts of school smartphone use and the effects of bans.
Reps. Liz Berry (D), Mari Leavitt (D), and Stephanie McClintock (R) introduced the bill, which would go into effect for the 2026-27 school year. The bill includes exceptions for emergencies, disabilities, English learners, health conditions, or specific instructional needs.
Under the proposal, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) would issue a report to the legislature by Dec. 15, summarizing current policies and recommending strategies for restricting mobile device use. Recommendations may include limiting device use to specific times, places, or activities and requiring devices to be stored securely during class.
In August, the head of OPSI issued a notice to the state’s districts encouraging them to come up with plans for controlling students’ use of cellphones.
Nationally, Louisiana and South Carolina have laws banning cellphone use during the school day, while Florida prohibits the devices during instructional time, according to Education Week. Other states are requesting or pursuing restrictions.
Strategies for preventing phone use include placing the devices in locked pouches such as those made by Yondr, or stowing the phones in backpacks stored in the front of a classroom or in storage containers such as hanging shoe holders hung over a door.
More than a year ago, UNESCO issued a call for leaders to restrict the use of cellphones and other technology at schools except for educational purposes. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in May 2023 warned about the harm caused by social media and its impact on the nation’s youth mental health crisis.
In schools where bans have been approved, educators anecdotally report benefits including increased student engagement, improved mental health, and fewer discipline problems and violent behaviors.
Related: A look inside a Seattle middle school that just banned cellphone use on campus
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday turned back a push by the state of Utah to wrest control of vast areas of public land from the federal government, marking a small victory for land conservation advocates who worry that similar efforts may escalate in a Republican-controlled Washington. The high court refused to let the…
FOR seniors who may not consider themselves tech-savvy, the idea of reading e-books online may seem daunting. However, e-books offer a wide range of benefits that can enhance their reading experience. Convenience: Unlike physical books, which may require a trip to the library or bookstore, e-books are available instantly. With just a few clicks, seniors can access thousands of books from the comfort of their homes. This is especially beneficial for seniors with mobility issues, who may find it challenging to visit a physical store or library. Portability: A single e-reader or tablet can hold hundreds of books, meaning that seniors can have an entire library at their fingertips without the weight or bulk of physical copies. Whether they are travelling or simply sitting at home, seniors can read whenever and wherever they like without the hassle of carrying multiple books. Text-adjustability: One of the standout features of digital books is that they allow users to adjust the font size, style and brightness of the text to their liking. This means that even those with vision impairments can enjoy reading without straining their eyes. Some e-readers also come with a “night mode” feature, which reduces the amount of blue light and is easier on the eyes during evening hours. Accessibility: E-books offer additional accessibility features, such as text-to-speech options, allowing seniors to listen to books when reading is not feasible. Also, e-books often come with integrated dictionaries, search functionalities and the ability to highlight text or make notes. These features can enhance understanding and enjoyment of the material, allowing seniors to interact with what they read in meaningful ways. Affordability: While physical books can sometimes be expensive, e-books are often sold at lower prices or even available for free through online libraries or subscription services. By embracing e-books, seniors can enjoy a vast collection of reading material without straining their budget. Eco-friendly: By reducing the need for paper, printing and shipping, e-books contribute to environmental sustainability. For seniors who care about leaving a positive legacy for future generations, adopting e-books is a small but impactful way to reduce one’s carbon footprint. The thought of using new technology can be intimidating but it is important to remember that e-readers and e-book apps are created with simplicity in mind and designed to be user-friendly. They feature clear instructions, intuitive touchscreens and helpful tutorials for beginners. With a bit of practice and patience, navigating an e-reader or app can become second nature. Friends, family members or even tech-savvy peers can help seniors learn how to use e-readers or download e-books. Once seniors become familiar with the basic functions, they may find that e-books are not only easy to use but also fun to explore.
The Fayette Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the second installment of our popular Business Growth Essentials series, a quarterly event designed to empower small and medium-sized business owners with the knowledge they need to scale, transition, or exit their businesses successfully. This month’s session will focus on Business Valuation & Increasing Long-Term Value, taking place on January 28th at The Peachtree City Launch Fayette at the Center of Innovation from 8am to 10am.
This event is tailored for business owners who are considering selling their business, being acquired, or transitioning ownership to family members or long-term employees within the next five years. Understanding how to accurately value a business and strategically enhancing your business’s long-term worth is critical for successful transactions.
Featured Speaker: We are honored to welcome Eric Togneri, a seasoned investment banker, who will provide an in-depth exploration of business valuation. Through real-life case studies, Eric will break down how different types of businesses are valued, including:
Digitally Focused Professional Services (B2B): Learn how online and service-based companies can accurately assess and enhance their value in a competitive marketplace.
In-Person Tradesman (B2B & B2C): Discover the unique valuation factors that apply to trades-based businesses serving both commercial and consumer clients.
Retailer (B2C): Understand what drives valuation for retail businesses and how to strengthen their financial position.
Following this insightful session, Eric will share actionable strategies for business owners to improve their company’s long-term value by focusing on the drivers of their business value beyond simply increasing top-line revenues.
Interactive Panel Discussion: The event will conclude with an engaging Ask Us Anything open forum. This is an exclusive opportunity for attendees to gain personalized insights from a panel of industry experts, including:
Investment Banker: Eric Togneri, Neri Capital
Business Coach: Ray Bruce, Dr. Biz Pro
Transaction Attorney: TBA
Wealth Manager: TBA
This diverse panel will address all questions related to business valuation, legal considerations, wealth management, and strategic growth planning.
Event Details:
Who Should Attend:
Small to medium-sized business owners
Entrepreneurs planning for future growth or exit
Family-owned businesses preparing for generational transitions
Business leaders interested in maximizing company value
About the Business Growth Essentials Series:Business Growth Essentials is a quarterly program presented by the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, offering valuable insights and practical strategies to support the growth, sustainability, and successful transitions of local businesses.
About the Fayette Chamber of Commerce:The Fayette Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to supporting and advancing the economic vitality of Fayette County by fostering business growth, collaboration, and community engagement.
Join us for this essential event and take the next step in securing your business’s future success!
It is reported that billionaire Elon Musk is likely to acquire TikTok to run its operations in the United States. As per a report, Chinese officials are allegedly evaluating a potential option involving Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if the company fails to fend off the controversial ban on the short-video app. However, TikTok has denied reports of any plans to sell its US operations to Elon Musk. A company spokesperson termed the alleged claim to be “pure fiction”. Grok New Feature Update: Elon Musk’s xAI Introduces New Features To Refine Your Posts; Check Details.
Elon Musk to Acquire TikTok?
Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if the company fails to fend off a controversial ban on the short-video app, according to people familiar with the matter https://t.co/5UoEx7TB9i pic.twitter.com/GfDM7taO0A
— Bloomberg (@business) January 14, 2025
Spokesperson Terms Claim ‘Pure Fiction’
TikTok has denied reports of considering Elon Musk to purchase the app:
“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.” pic.twitter.com/wqG3MbOane
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 14, 2025(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter (X), Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user’s social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Aurora Films is developing a feature adaptation of French author Hervé Guibert’s 1989 novella, Crazy for Vincent, with plans to shoot in Paris.
Jamieson Pearce is on board to write and direct the screen version of the intimate autobiographical story, which delves into the author’s infatuation with Vincent Marmousez, a young man who is 15 when the two first meet in 1982.
Working backward from Vincent’s untimely death six years later, Guibert seeks to understand the “monster” of a boy’s presence in his life in a work that carries elements of poetry, fiction, and diary entries.
Aurora is developing Crazy for Vincent as an Australian-French co-production that will film in Paris and complete post-production in Australia, with producers in discussion regarding the French cast. Pivot Pictures will distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand.Pearce, a previous recipient of Sydney Film Festival’s Lexus Australia Short Film Fellowship whose work includes shorts Strangers and Thomas Rides in an Ambulance, said the “maze of moments” in the book is well suited to cinematic adaptation.
“Hervé Guibert’s writing is fearless and unflinching,” he said.
“To adapt his work demands a similar boldness. On the page, the moments of tender intimacy sit centimetres from brutal dejection, creating an emotional landscape that is as compelling as it is destabilising. Guibert’s reflections on the artist’s role — treating life as an extension of artistic practice — resonate and serve to explain, if not justify, the moral ambiguity of his choices.”
Hervé Guibert (left) Vincent Marmousez (right) in Latélier de Balthus (Image: Hans Georg Berger)
It is part of a trio of real-life stories Aurora is developing for the big screen alongside an adaptation of Deborah Snow’s investigative novel Siege: Inside the Lindt Cafe and the life of Equatorial Guinea swimmer and Sydney Olympics underdog hero Eric “the Eel” Moussambani Malonga.
Managing director and Crazy for Vincent producer Ákos Armont aimed to shop the company’s newest project at this year’s Cannes Film Market, describing it as “a lightning strike for contemporary cinema”.
“[Crazy For Vincent] is an extraordinary provocation to audiences — in equal measure brazen and uncompromising, as brutal as it is tender. Guibert’s fearless interrogation of desire’s darkest corners finds its match in Jamieson’s filmmaking.”
Pivot Pictures managing director Louisa Balletti, who serves as executive producer, described Pearce’s vision for the film as “both daring and ambitious”.
“I’m excited to champion this ground-breaking production that dares to explore the raw beauty of human connection and desire with unflinching honesty,” she said.
“This is a visionary project that has the potential to redefine boundaries in cinema, and I’m eager to see it come to life.”
The producers welcome enquiries and expressions of interest for production support from all interested parties.