Showing posts with label Education Related. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education Related. Show all posts

6 April 2020

Free Information Book Explaining the Coronavirus to Children, Illustrated by Gruffalo Illustrator

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Released Today: Free Information Book Explaining the Coronavirus to Children, Illustrated by Gruffalo Illustrator
Free Information Book Explaining the Coronavirus to Children, Illustrated by Gruffalo Illustrator
Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. 

Published by award-winning independent children's book publisher, Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the publishing company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.

The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds:
  • What is the coronavirus?
  • How do you catch the coronavirus?
  • What happens if you catch the coronavirus?
  • Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus?
  • Is there a cure for the coronavirus?
  • Why are some places we normally go to closed?
  • What can I do to help?
  • What's going to happen next?
Nosy Crow wants to make sure that this book is accessible to every child and family and so the book is offered totally free of charge to anyone who wants to read it. However, the company suggests, at the back of the book, that families might make a donation to help our health service if they find the book useful:(www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk)
Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, said:
"We were very aware that many parents and carers are struggling to explain the current extraordinary situation to children, many of whom are frightened and confused. We thought that the best thing we could do would be to use our skills to produce a free book to explain and, where possible, reassure children. We asked Axel, whose work is so familiar and so loved, to illustrate it. He was happy to do it, and did it extraordinarily quickly. Meanwhile, having heard Professor Medley interviewed by the BBC, we looked him up and wrote to him, and despite his huge workload, he reviewed the book over a weekend, and we were able to incorporate his suggestions, together with those of two head teachers and a child psychologist, into the final version of the book. We hope it helps answer difficult questions in difficult times."
Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo, said:
"I asked myself what I could do as an children's illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad. So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book about the coronavirus. I think it is extremely important for children and families to have access to good and reliable information in this unprecedented crisis, and I hope that the popularity of the books I've done with Julia Donaldson will ensure that this digital book will reach many children who are now slightly older, but might still remember our picture books."
Professor Graham Medley, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:
"This pandemic is changing children's lives across the globe and will have a lasting impact on us all. Helping children understand what is going on is an important step in helping them cope and making them part of the story - this is something that we are all going through, not something being done to them. This book puts children IN the picture rather just watching it happen, and in a way that makes the scary parts easier to cope with."
Free Information Book Explaining the Coronavirus to Children, Illustrated by Gruffalo Illustrator
Free Information Book Explaining the Coronavirus to Children, Illustrated by Gruffalo Illustrator

About Axel Scheffler

Axel Scheffler is an award-winning, internationally-acclaimed illustrator of some of the most well-loved children's books. His books have been published in many languages and his work has been exhibited all around the world. 

Axel is best known for his partnership with Julia Donaldson, on books including Room on the Broom and The Gruffalo

For Nosy Crow, Axel has illustrated a number of other highly successful titles, including the Pip and Posy series, The Grunts and the bestselling Flip Flap series. 

Axel lives in London with his partner and daughter..

About Nosy Crow

Nosy Crow is a multi-award-winning publisher of child-focused, parent-friendly children's books and eBooks for ages 0 – 14. It began publishing in 2011 and has won the Independent Publishers Guild's Children's Publisher of the Year Award three times. It was named Children's Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards in April 2017 and in April 2019, and in 2016 was awarded the Independent Publishers Guild Independent Publisher of the Year. Other prizes include a Queen's Award for Enterprise – International Trade, The Stationers' Company Innovation Excellence Award, The Nectar Business Small Business of the Year Award, The Growing Business Awards Young Company of the Year Award and many others for both individual books and for its marketing and international sales. Nosy Crow is already the 12th biggest children's book publisher in the UK, based on Nielsen-tracked sales to consumers.
SOURCE: Nosy Crow

5 March 2020

Canada: Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition Open Through Mid-April at Kean University [Video Included]

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Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition (PRNewsfoto/Kean University)
From middle school students sketching copies of famous artworks, to senior citizen groups and others marveling at "flying machines," thousands of visitors have toured Da Vinci—Inventions since it opened at Kean University's Liberty Hall Academic Center & Exhibition Hall (LHAC) in January.

The soaring exhibition features full-scale models of dozens of Leonardo da Vinci's most inventive creations, from a diving suit to a catapult to a hang glider. 


Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition (image via Kean University)
Also on display are exquisite, artisan-crafted reproductions of the Mona Lisa and other da Vinci paintings, made with the techniques Leonardo da Vinci himself used, and hand-crafted reproductions of some of the 6,000 pages of notes he left behind.

The exhibition is open every day until April 12, with special pricing offered on select days and free admission to school groups.
"I think it's a great experience. It's a really active experience for our students," said Scotch Plains middle school teacher Carmela Lambert while chaperoning a group of nearly 100 seventh-graders who visited the exhibition as part of their studies of Italian. "When we got the flyer at our school, we thought it would be a great way to teach across curriculum."
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition (image via Kean University)
Leonardo da Vinci, a brilliant Renaissance artist and inventor, dreamed of inventions ranging from military equipment to an ideal city. Most of his ideas remained drawings on paper. But recreations in the exhibit bring his visions to life for a modern audience.
"You come here thinking he's an artist, and you walk away thinking he's an engineer; he's a physicist. He was just a brilliant mind," said Lynnette Zimmerman, LHAC executive director.
The world-class traveling exhibition, which was created by Grande Exhibitions and has appeared around the world, also ushers in a new phase for Kean.
"It really creates a cultural center for Union County," Zimmerman said. "Special events, such as a social media influencer gathering, are being planned for the da Vinci exhibit and other exhibitions will be coming in the future."
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition (image via Kean University)
Da Vinci--Inventions Exhibition (image via Kean University)
The exhibit was a lively hubbub of voices one recent morning as teachers and students from Scotch Plains' Park Middle School fanned out through the gallery. As part of their study, students were assigned to envision themselves as Leonardo da Vinci's students, and sketch his art and drawings.

Teacher Angela Cammilleri said the students were impressed by da Vinci's diving suit invention and ideal city.

LHAC Program Coordinator Keyaira Boone said while the exhibition is wonderful for school groups, everyone is welcome to enjoy it.

"You don't have to be a Kean alumnus or a student to see it; you can just come," she said. "It's fascinating for people of all ages."

The Video:


  • Special ticket prices are now being offered to Da Vinci—Inventions. Children 12 and under are admitted free on Friday-Sunday, March 6-8; Wednesday, March 18; and Friday-Sunday, April 3-5.
  • In addition, two-for-$20 general admission tickets are available on Saturday, March 21, and Thursday-Sunday, April 9-12; and patrons are welcome to "pay what you wish" to enjoy the exhibition on Sunday, March 15.
  • Admission is free for school groups.

4 March 2020

American Masters Spotlights 26 Unsung Women Who Changed History with Unladylike2020 [Trailer Included]

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American Masters Spotlights 26 Unsung Women Who Changed History with Unladylike2020
American Masters Spotlights 26 Unsung Women Who Changed History with Unladylike2020 (image via unladylike2020.com)
Beginning this Women's History Month, American Masters illuminates the inspiring stories of little-known American heroines from the early years of feminism and the women who now follow in their footsteps with Unladylike2020, an innovative multimedia series launching in honor of the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage. 

Narrated by Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife; ER; Billions) and Lorraine Toussaint (Selma; Orange is the New Black; The Glorias), American Masters – Unladylike2020 spotlights 26 diverse changemakers, in 26 documentary shorts premiering Wednesdays, beginning today through August 26, Women's Equality Day, on the American Masters YouTube channel

  • In addition, an hour-long American Masters – Unladylike2020 special will premiere as part of PBS' summer-long celebration of female trailblazers.
American Masters Spotlights 26 Unsung Women Who Changed History with Unladylike2020
American Masters Spotlights 26 Unsung Women Who Changed History with Unladylike2020 (screengrab)
Only a century ago, women in America did not have the right to vote, and had only recently won the right to own property or get divorced. They faced limited career and educational choices, it was illegal for married women to work in some places, and women could even be arrested for wearing pants in public. Women who worked outside of the home were usually single, widowed, divorced, poor, or women of color who had to contend not only with sexism, but also severe racial discrimination. 

Despite that, intrepid women managed to break into new professions, step into leadership roles, and fight for suffrage and an end to discrimination – challenging expected behavior for "a lady." 

Presenting history in a bold new way, American Masters — Unladylike2020, produced and directed by Charlotte Mangin, brings the incredible stories of these pioneering women to life through rare archival footage and interviews with descendants, historians and accomplished modern women who reflect upon their influence. 

Original artwork and animation created by visual artist Amelie Chabannes adds visual texture, infusing black and white images with captivating color and action. The focus on modern-day trailblazers also enriches the content with dynamic juxtapositions of past and present.

Some of the women featured include Bessie Coleman, the first African American to earn an international pilot's license; Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native American physician who also founded a hospital on the Omaha Reservation; Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress; Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel; Sissieretta Jones, the first African American to sing opera on the main stage at Carnegie Hall; and Lois Weber, the first woman to direct a feature-length film, among many others

The Trailer:

The "Bessie Coleman: First African American Aviator" Video:

U.S. history curriculum materials for grades 6-12, produced by WNET Kids' Media and Education, will be available via PBS LearningMedia beginning in March. Unladylike Productions, LLC will also launch a nationwide community engagement and screening initiative in partnership with public television stations and community organizations.
SOURCE: WNET

3 March 2020

Galloping Gargoyles! Is Harry Potter Losing His (Earning) Power?

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Galloping Gargoyles! Is Harry Potter Losing His (Earning) Power?
Galloping Gargoyles! Is Harry Potter Losing His (Earning) Power? (EPA/Johannes Eisele AAP)
By the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter in 2017, over 400 million Harry Potter books had been sold worldwide and translated into 68 languages. In spite of J. K. Rowling’s rejection by a dozen publishers before her success with Bloomsbury, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone became one of the best selling books of all time.

The film franchise of the books grossed US$8.5 billion, book sales totalled US$7.7 billion, US$7.3 billion has been made from toys and merchandise, and US$2 billion from DVD sales. The Harry Potter “empire” has an estimated total worth of US$25 billion.

With bars, theme parks, fan conventions, mugs, costumes and knitting patterns going gangbusters, it seemed the little wizard could do no wrong. Words like “muggle”, “quidditch” and “Hogwarts” have become part of our vocabulary. But more than a decade since the last Harry Potter book was published, it appears the lucrative spell is wearing off.

For the wool wizards.
For the wool wizards. (Booktopia)

 Page to screen to stage

Since the end of the beloved series (the last book in 2007 and film in 2011), there have been two spin-off stories: the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the play Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, both released in 2016. The film’s sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was released in 2018.

The first Fantastic Beasts film performed reasonably well at the box office, grossing US$814 million worldwide, which is within the earnings range of the first eight Harry Potter films.

However, the Fantastic Beasts sequel resulted in less box office revenue than the first, at US$654 million globally, the lowest grossing of all the “Harry-verse” films.

Subsequent questions have been raised about how the third planned film will perform, let alone the rest of the five-film series that had previously been mooted.

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play is broadly considered a West End and Broadway success and has toured internationally. Despite the huge amount of money invested and the creative approach taken in promoting the production, ticket sales have seen a considerable drop in the past year (50% since their peak).

Harry Potter franchise revenue streams.
Harry Potter franchise revenue streams. (Statista, CC BY)

A turning point

In and of itself the play was always going to be a challenge: it is a two-part production which means theatre goers have to buy two tickets and attend twice. The producers say it is intended to be seen “in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings”.

This makes cost a problematic factor. It’s also a big time commitment. The play has a rather daunting running time of around two hours and 40 minutes each time, making a total duration of just over five hours. That’s likely to be too much for many young fans.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson playing the central roles onstage.
It’s hard to imagine anyone but Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson playing the central roles onstage. (IMDB)
And about those “young fans”. When the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie debuted in 2002, 60% of the audience was under the age of 15. This cohort are now in their 30s and this age group is considered as “non-theatre goers”. In the UK the average theatre audience member is 52. The average age of the Broadway theatregoer is 42 years old. Australian audiences at musicals and operas were last estimated to be predominantly between 55 and 74 years of age in 2014.

Another huge part of the appeal with the books and the films is the incredible fantasy world presented. Though audience members were encouraged to #keepthesecrets, transferring the magic of film CGI to the stage is an obvious challenge.

Another issue could be the recasting of Harry, Hermione and Ron. Not only are the famous three played by completely new people, but they’re no longer the young mischievous kids who captured our hearts.

The play, also published as a book, is set 20 years on from the last film, and Harry and the gang are all grown up. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have become so cemented as their characters, it is a stretch for audiences to accept anyone else in these roles.

Losing momentum

As well as challenges with the play, there are reports that ticket sales for theme parks and book sales are also slowing. Perhaps this is to be expected, given the nature of marketing “momentum”.

Marketers build momentum through exposure of their brand, product or service and through generating excitement. But eventually, when a product has been in the market for a certain period of time, momentum inevitably slows. Demand subsequently drops and may fall away completely.

For some Harry Potter fans ‘it will never end’.
For some Harry Potter fans ‘it will never end’. (EPA/Justin Lane)
Product campaigns – and Harry Potter is indeed a product – need certain elements to be successful. It all starts with marketing the right product, promoted with the right message to the right audience at the right time. Marketers add momentum into this mix and voila - you have marketing gold. The Harry Potter franchise ticked these boxes in a way that few brands have ever done, providing wonder and delight to audiences worldwide and riches to its creator.

Over 20 years later, the highly successful book and movie franchise, and all its various spin-offs, may finally be losing momentum.

Perhaps another fictional character will take his place. There are no doubt authors sending their pitches to a dozen publishers right now and hoping this will be the case. Or maybe Harry Potter was a once-in-a-lifetime wizard.

About Today's Contributors:

Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania; Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology, and Martin Grimmer, Professor of Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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29 February 2020

How Socialism Became Un-American Through The Ad Council’s Propaganda Campaigns

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Bernie Sanders was asked at a CNN-sponsored town hall about socialism.
Bernie Sanders was asked at a CNN-sponsored town hall about socialism. (CNN screenshot)
Bernie Sanders has emerged as the Democratic front-runner in the race for the presidential nomination.

Yet even some left-leaning pundits and publications are concerned about what they see as Sanders’ potential lack of electability.

Sanders is a Democratic Socialist. And the label “socialist” is a political liability in American culture. According to a Gallup poll released on Feb. 11, 2020, only 45% of Americans would vote for a socialist.

I am a scholar of American culture with an interest in the relationship between political ideologies and popular culture. In my research, I have found that this antipathy toward socialism may not be an accident: American identity today is strongly tied to an image of capitalism crafted and advertised by the Ad Council and American corporate interests over decades, often with the support of the U.S. government.

A screenshot from one of the corporate Cold War-era cartoons linking the Bill of Rights to free-enterprise ideology. (Internet Archive, Prelinger Collection)

Business and government solidarity

In 1942, a group of advertising and industry executives created the War Advertising Council, to promote the war effort. The government compensated the companies that created or donated ads by allowing them to deduct some of their costs from their taxable incomes.

Renamed the Ad Council in 1943, the organization applied the same wartime persuasive techniques of advertising and psychological manipulation during the Cold War years, the post-war period when the geopolitical rivalry between the U.S., the USSR and their respective allies raged. One of their goals: promoting the virtues of capitalism and free enterprise in America while simultaneously demonizing the alternative – socialism – which was often conflated with communism.

Government propaganda at home portrayed the communist USSR as godless, tyrannical and antithetical to individual freedoms. As a counterpoint, America became everything the Soviet Union was not.

This link between capitalism and American national identity was advertised through a sophisticated, corporate effort as efficient and ubiquitous as state-driven propaganda behind the Iron Curtain.

The campaigns used the ideological divisions of the Cold War to emphasize the relevance of their message. In a 1948 report, the Ad Council explained its goal to the public: “The world today is engaged in a colossal struggle to determine whether freedom or statism will dominate.”

Extolling capitalism’s virtues

The campaigns started as a public-private partnership. At the end of World War II, the government worried about the spread of communism at home. Business interests worried about government regulations and about the rising popularity of unions. The Cold War provided both parties with a shared enemy.

In 1947, President Truman asked the Ad Council to organize the Freedom Train Campaign, focusing on the history of America’s political freedoms. Paramount Pictures, U.S. Steel, DuPont, General Electric and Standard Oil provided financial support. For two years the train crisscrossed the nation, carrying original documents that included the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

One of the Ad Council’s messages about capitalism in America
One of the Ad Council’s messages about capitalism in America. (Outdoor Advertising Association of America Archives, Duke University Libraries)
The following year, the Ad Council launched a business-led campaign, called The Miracle of America,” intended to foster support for the American model of capitalism, as distinct from its Western European version, which was more friendly to government intervention. It urged increased productivity by U.S. workers, linked economic and political freedom and, paradoxically, asserted capitalism’s collaborative nature.

Sure, America is going ahead if we all pull together,” read a brochure. Another flyer, “Comes the Revolution!,” cast its support of American capitalism in the language of global struggle: “If we continue to make that system work…then other nations will follow us. If we don’t, then they’ll probably go communist or fascist.”

In its first two years, the Miracle of America message reached American audiences via 250 radio and television stations and 7,000 outdoor billboards. Newspapers printed 13 million lines of free advertising. The Ad Council boasted that the campaign made over 1 billion “radio listener impressions.”

American factory workers received about half of the 1.84 million copies of the free pamphlet “The Miracle of America.” One-quarter were distributed free of charge to schools, and 76 universities ordered the booklet.

This pro-business propaganda, expressed in the language of Cold War patriotism, had reached roughly 70% of the American population by the end of the campaign.

How Ad Council campaigns after WWII helped make socialism un-American.

Cartoon capitalism

The efforts produced more than just print and billboard messages.

In 1946, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, founded by the former head of General Motors, paid the evangelical Harding College to produce “Fun and Facts about American Business,” a series of educational cartoon videos about capitalism, produced by a former Disney employee.

Between 1949 and 1952, Metro Goldwyn Mayer distributed them in theaters, schools, colleges, churches and workplaces.

The films promoted the same messages as the Ad Council campaigns, although they were not part of the project. They continued a decade-long effort by the Sloan Foundation to start, in the words of its executive director, “a bombardment of the American mind with elementary economic principles through partnering with educational institutions.”

To both Sloan and the movement’s backers, business interests were synonymous with the national interest. The free-enterprise system was a shorthand for freedom, democracy and patriotism. Unlike in Europe, the videos suggested, class struggle – of the kind that required unions – did not exist in the U.S.

In the cartoon “Meet the King,” Joe, the archetypal American worker, realizes he is not an exploited proletarian. Instead, he’s a king, “because he can buy more with his wages than any other worker on the globe.”

Conversely, government regulations of, or interventions in, the economy were described in the cartoons as socialist tendencies, bound to lead to communism and tyranny.

Make Mine Freedom,” and “It’s Everybody’s Business” presented the state as a perpetual threat. A money-sucking tax monster, the government reduces everyone’s profits, crushes private enterprise and takes away individual freedoms: “No more private property, no more you.”

According to an estimate from Fortune magazine, by 1952, American businesses spent US$100 million each year, independent from any Ad Council campaigns, promoting free enterprise.

‘Peanuts’ pushes freedom

In the early 1970s, business responded to rising negativity about corporate power with a new campaign coordinated by the Ad Council.

The American Economic System … and Your Part in It” was launched alongside the bicentennial national celebrations. It was the largest centralized pro-business public relations project thus far, but only one of many independently run by corporations.

Part of a page from the 1970s booklet that used Charles Schultz’s ‘Peanuts’ comic strips to explain the benefits of America’s economic system.
Part of a page from the 1970s booklet that used Charles Schultz’s ‘Peanuts’ comic strips to explain the benefits of America’s economic system. (Amazon)
The media industry donated $40 million in free space and air time in the first year of the campaign. The Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor contributed about half a million dollars toward the production costs for a 20-page booklet.

That booklet used data provided by the departments of Commerce and Labor and Charles Schulz’s ‘Peanuts’ comic strips to explain the benefits of America’s economic system. The system was again presented as a foundational freedom protected by a Constitution whose goal was to “maintain a climate in which people could work, invest, and prosper.

By 1979, 13 million copies had been distributed to schools, universities, libraries, civic organizations and workplaces.

Echoes now?

For four decades, the Cold War provided a simple good-vs.-evil axis that consolidated the association between freedom, American-ness and free-enterprise capitalism.

The business community, independently and through the Ad Council, funded massive top-down economic education programs which shaped American perceptions of business and government and of capitalism and socialism.

The Cold War ended 30 years ago, but its cultural structures and divisions endure – perhaps, even, in the responses of some Americans to Bernie Sanders’ socialism.

About Today's Contributor:

Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, Associate Teaching Professor of American Studies, Miami University

Cet article est republiĆ© Ć  partir de The Conversation sous licence Creative Commons. 

20 February 2020

MasterClass Announces Entertainment Icon RuPaul to Teach Self-Expression and Authenticity [Trailer Included]

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In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself
In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself (image courtesy of MasterClass)
MasterClass, the platform that makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best, today announced that RuPaul will teach a class on self-expression and authenticity. 

As one of the world's most recognized personalities, RuPaul is a cultural icon. In his MasterClass, he shares an intimate look into his journey to self-love and stardom. Through a series of candid lessons, RuPaul speaks his fearless truth and shares his experiences — teaching members how to identify strengths, cultivate a tribe, and tune into inner frequency to live their best, most authentic and powerful life.
"RuPaul is fearless — defying norms and breaking rules," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "Ru's MasterClass teaches every single one of us how to celebrate who we are, how to persevere, how to take risks and how to own our fears. This class will change how you live your life."
Being credited for bringing drag into the spotlight and named "the world's most famous drag queen" by Fortune Magazine in 2019, RuPaul has taken the world by storm since becoming a popular fixture in New York City nightlife and releasing his debut single, "Supermodel (You Better Work)," in 1993. 

The actor, model, singer, songwriter and TV personality has paved his way into global superstardom using his mantra "love yourself." Throughout his 35-year career, RuPaul has released 14 studio albums and three books, hosted his own talk show, The RuPaul Show on VH1 for over 100 episodes and has made countless appearances in TV and films including To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!, Julie Newmar and more. 

Since 2009, RuPaul has produced and hosted critically acclaimed RuPaul's Drag Race, winning six Primetime Emmy Awards and inspiring several spin-off series, including RuPaul's Drag U and RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars

In 2017, RuPaul was named one of TIME's most influential people in the world.

In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself
In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself (image courtesy of MasterClass)
"How can you love, if you can't love yourself?" said RuPaul. "My MasterClass will show you how to find the deepest level of yourself, own who you are and have the confidence to work the runway of life."
Delivered with his signature humor and larger-than-life personality, RuPaul's MasterClass is an intimate and candid look into his journey to self-love and self-betterment. 

As a prominent figure and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, RuPaul has fought for equality and promotes the message of embracing and accepting one's uniqueness. He will show students of all ages, races, genders, and sexualities, how to tune into inner frequency by incorporating stillness, meditation and personal inventory. He'll also share personal secrets on owning a room and cultivating a tribe, and why it's important to identify mentors and pay it forward. In a deeply personal lesson, RuPaul shares past trauma in his own life and how it relates to his process of self-betterment, offering advice on how to deal with shame, trauma, and hard emotions. 

In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself
In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares powerful lessons on the importance of knowing your value and being true to yourself (image courtesy of MasterClass)
RuPaul will also sit down with long-time costume collaborator, Zaldy, to deconstruct previous runway looks the duo has created. In bonus lessons, RuPaul's makeup artist David Petruschin transforms into drag alter-ego Raven, and RuPaul shares insights and makeup lessons for all, from painting dramatic eyes to contouring. 

RuPaul's MasterClass - The Trailer:


RuPaul's MasterClass joins the 75+ classes taught by world-renowned instructors on culinary arts, photography, writing, performance, and much more. 


Each MasterClass has digestible video lessons sized to fit into any part of your day and cinematic visuals with close-up, hands-on demonstrations that make you feel one-on-one with the instructor. 

MasterClass's current roster of courses includes:

  • Business: Howard Schultz (business leadership), Anna Wintour (creativity and leadership), Sara Blakely (self-made entrepreneurship), Bob Iger (strategy and leadership), Chris Voss (art of negotiation), Goodby and Silverstein (advertising and creativity)
  • Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking), Dominique Ansel (French pastry), James Suckling (wine appreciation), Aaron Franklin (Texas BBQ), Massimo Bottura (Italian cooking), Gabriela CĆ”mara (Mexican cooking)
  • Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Spike Lee (filmmaking), Mira Nair (independent filmmaking), Jodie Foster (filmmaking), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaking), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), Natalie Portman (acting), David Lynch (creativity and filmmaking)
  • Lifestyle: Bobbi Brown (makeup and beauty), RuPaul (self-expression and authenticity)
  • Music and Entertainment: Steve Martin (comedy), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Armin van Buuren (dance music), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Tom Morello (electric guitar), Carlos Santana (art and soul of guitar), Timbaland (producing and beatmaking), Penn & Teller (magic), Itzhak Perlman (violin), Danny Elfman (music for film)
  • Writing: James Patterson (writing), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), R.L. Stine (writing for young audiences), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Dan Brown (writing thrillers), Neil Gaiman (storytelling), Billy Collins (poetry), David Baldacci (writing thrillers), Joyce Carol Oates (short story writing), David Sedaris (storytelling and humor)
  • Photography: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Jimmy Chin (adventure photography)
  • Design and Fashion: Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)
  • Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker), Phil Ivey (poker strategy), Simone Biles (gymnastics), Misty Copeland (ballet)
  • Politics and Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), Karl Rove and David Axelrod (political campaign strategy), Paul Krugman (economics and society), Doris Kearns Goodwin (U.S. presidential history and leadership)
  • Science and Technology: Chris Hadfield (space exploration), Will Wright (game design), Neil deGrasse Tyson (scientific thinking and communication)
For more information, please visit www.masterclass.com.

SOURCE: MasterClass

31 January 2020

Canada's Major Internet Service Providers Release New Video Series To Support Deaf, Deaf-Blind And Hard Of Hearing Consumers

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Canada's Major Internet Service Providers Release New Video Series To Support Deaf, Deaf-Blind And Hard Of Hearing Consumers
Canada's Major Internet Service Providers Release New Video Series To Support Deaf, Deaf-Blind And Hard Of Hearing Consumers (Screengrab)
Canada's major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have produced a video series in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes du QuĆ©bec (LSQ) to support Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing (DDBHH) Internet customers to coincide with today's launch of Canada's new Internet Code. 
The Internet code was created by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in July 2019 to enhance consumer protections in connection with the acquisition and use of Internet services.

Each of the seven Internet Code videos address specific themes using plain language and clear examples:

  • Common terminology:
  1. Terminology - Contracts & Billing – Getting Started
  2. Terminology - Contracts & Billing – Fees
  3. Terminology - Contracts & Billing – Documents, Policies and Notifications
  4. Terminology - Networks
  5. Terminology - Devices & Tech Support
  • The Internet Code and Your Rights as a Customer
  • Methods to Manage Data Use
All videos are fully accessible and include captions, voice-over and transcripts.
This video series is part of the ongoing collaboration between service providers and the DDBHH community and reflects ISPs' commitment to ensuring that Canadians have informed access to telecom services. The Internet Code video series follows the release of similar ASL and LSQ videos that provide the DDBHH community with an accessible overview of the Wireless Code, and an explanation of Canada's Wireless Public Alerting system.

Internet Code videos can be found on or accessed through the following ISP websites:

  • Bell
  • Cogeco
  • Eastlink
  • Northwestel
  • Rogers Communications
  • SaskTel
  • Shaw
  • TELUS
  • Videotron
  • Xplornet

Additional Information:

About Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA):

CWTA is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents companies that provide services and products across the wireless sector. Representing the industry before all levels of government and various regulatory agencies, CWTA actively promotes the industry with the goal of ensuring continued growth of the wireless sector in Canada. CWTA administers a number of initiatives on behalf of its members, including corporate social responsibility programs and the national common short codes program.

Given that CWTA had already successfully worked with organizations representing DDBHH communities to develop a series of similar videos for Canada's Wireless Code, the Association was asked to work in partnership with ISPs to develop the Internet Code Video series as well.

30 January 2020

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly

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"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly
"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly (Screengrab)
"The Age of A.I." takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of the most transformational technology in the history of humankind. Robert Downey Jr. brings his irreverent enthusiasm and curiosity to the screen as the series takes an immersive look at artificial intelligence and its potential to change the world.


"The Age of A.I." was produced by Vancouver-based Network Entertainment and was filmed in eight countries on six continents. Over 150 Canadians worked on the series in various roles, spanning executive producers to post-production, and two of the stories were based in Canada: one in Vancouver at Sanctuary AI, and the other at Waterloo RoboHub at the University of Waterloo in Ontario.
How is artificial intelligence reshaping our world? 
Can machine learning enhance the human experience? 
Can artificial intelligence help level the playing field for people with disabilities? 
Can the state of the world be saved with an algorithm? 
Will a robot take my job?
These are just a few of the questions explored as "The Age of A.I." examines the technology that will impact our world for years to come. In each episode, viewers will meet the people on the front lines of A.I. – the scientists, innovators, and dreamers who are shaping the future and the real people whose lives may be forever changed as technology races to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges.

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly
"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly (Screengrab)
The series is produced by Network Entertainment with Team Downey in association with Sonar Entertainment. Sean Foley, Yon Motskin, Emily Ford, Cory Lanier, Tom Lesinski, Paul Gertz, and Derik Murray serve as executive producers alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey. 

Will.i.am is a consulting producer with Evan Moore serving as a co-producer on the series. Susanne Daniels is Global Head of Original Content for YouTube. Nadine Zylstra, Head of Learning for YouTube Originals along with Ian Roth and Laurel Stier on the Learning Development team will oversee the project for the global platform.

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr.
"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr.
"The Age of A.I." joins a growing slate of YouTube Originals focused on learning. Other projects include the platform's monthly book club, "BookTube" featuring prominent authors like Malcolm Gladwell; "Could You Survive the Movies?" hosted by Vsauce3's Jake Roper; "Mind Field: What is the Scariest Thing?" with Vsauce creator Michael Stevens; "Glad You Asked" from Vox Media Studios, and Retro Tech with Marques Brownlee. Upcoming Originals include "Creators for Change with Michelle Obama: Girls' Education" premiering this year.

About Team Downey:

Team Downey is an entertainment company founded by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey that produces film, television and digital properties. 

A two-time Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, Downey Jr. is perhaps best known for his performance in the title role of the blockbuster franchise "Iron Man." Prior to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he made his mark in Hollywood with his Academy Award-nominated performances in "Chaplin" and "Tropic Thunder," for which he also earned a Golden Globe. 

Susan Downey is a prolific film producer who has collaborated with many of the industry's most renowned talents on a diverse list of films. She produced the psychological drama "The Brave One," the horror thrillers "Gothika," "House of Wax" and "Orphan" and executive produced the post-apocalyptic drama "The Book of Eli," "Iron Man 2" and the hit comedy "Due Date," among others. 

Together, the pair have collaborated on numerous notable projects including the successful action adventure franchise "Sherlock Holmes," which garnered over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, the cult classic "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "The Judge," earning Robert Duvall an Academy Award nomination, among other accolades. 

Team Downey recently produced the family adventure film "Dolittle" for Universal, which was released on January 17, 2020. "Dolittle" features an all-star cast with Downey Jr. in the title role. 

Team Downey is in various stages of development on several other anticipated feature projects including "A Head Full of Ghosts" with Osgood Perkins attached to write and direct and an untitled feature based on Gimlet Media's "Reply All" podcast episode "Man of the People," with Richard Linklater writing and directing. 

On the television side, Team Downey most recently signed a one-year, first-look deal with HBO. Under the new deal, the company will create and develop new projects, further expanding their partnership with the premium cable network as they are currently producing "Perry Mason." The series, which is set to premiere this summer 2020, stars Matthew Rhys in the title role, with episodes directed by Tim Van Patten and Denize Gamze ErgĆ¼ven, and written by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald. 

Additionally, Team Downey is also prepping the series Sweet Tooth for Warner Bros. Television and YouTube Originals recently premiered the first four episodes of its docuseries "The Age of A.I." The final four episodes of the critically-acclaimed series were released on January 15.

SOURCE: Network Media Group Inc.

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