Facebook And Google Veteran Marissa Orr Uncovers The Truth About Women, Power And The Workplace In Upcoming Book, "Lean Out"

Marissa Orr to release new book titled “Lean Out: The Truth About Women, Power, and the Workplace” via HarperCollins Leadership on June 11

Marissa Orr, Facebook and Google veteran, will release her debut book "Lean Out: The Truth About Women, Power, and the Workplace" on June 11, 2019 via HarperCollins Leadership (available for preorder now).

More than half a century since the equal pay act, the wage gap still hovers at 80%. Half a billion dollars are spent annually on corporate diversity programs, yet only 5% of CEOs in the Fortune 500 are women. "Lean Out" is an ambitious attempt to answer the question few dare to ask: what have we've gotten wrong about women at work?

Based on in-depth research and personal experiences, "Lean Out," follows the journey of Orr, a single mom of three trying to find success in her 15-year career at the world's top tech giants. In an eye-opening account, Orr exposes the systemic dysfunction at the heart of today's most powerful corporations and how their pursuit to close the gender gap has come at the expense of female well-being.

"Fewer women at the top is a clear signal that the system is broken," says Orr. "With female-dominant strengths such as empathy and consensus-building being the future of business, the headlines forecast that women will dominate the future generations of corporate leaders. But that won't happen until we stop mistaking empathy for weakness and realize that female success shouldn't hinge on us being more like men."

The antithesis to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In," Orr's "Lean Out" provides a new and refreshingly candid perspective on what it's really like for today's corporate underdogs, while challenging modern feminist rhetoric and debunking the philosophy that suggests everyone has to be the same in order to be equal. 

Offering a compelling new argument for the reasons more women don't make it to the top, "Lean Out" is not simply a retort to Sandberg's premise, which Orr believes is based on a male worldview, but a revolutionary path forward to change the trajectory of the lives of women in the corporate world and beyond.

Featuring key chapters such as The Leadership Ambition Gap, The Confidence Gap, The Power Reward, and Well-Being vs. Winning, "Lean Out" is divided into three sections and addresses the significant need to reexamine the business world's paradigm of a "successful leader." 

Part one unravels the current "conventional wisdom" on women in the workplace, part two offers a new model of understanding for the causes of the corporate gender gap, and part three suggests a new way forward for women individually and corporate America at large.

"Right now, we are on the precipice of change," says Orr. "And with 'Lean Out,' I hope to provide a fresh voice for a new generation of thinkers."

Marissa Orr (image via MarissaOrr.com)

About Marissa Orr:

Marissa Orr began her Google career over 15 years ago as a founding member of Google's Sales Operations & Strategy team, after which she worked as Vertical Marketing Manager at Facebook. She has conducted talks and workshops for thousands of people at diverse organizations across the globe. 

Originally from Miami, she now lives in New Jersey, with her three children.

SOURCE: HarperCollins Leadership

eBay Teams Up with Influential Women in Comics to Launch Superheroine HQ, the World's First All-Female Superhero Store

eBay launches “Superheroine HQ” – the world’s first online shop dedicated to female superheroes offering rare and right now comics, collectibles and merchandise all in one place  ("Superheroine HQ" by comic illustrator Cat Staggs)

Female superheroes are more popular than ever and a force of leading ladies are taking off in Hollywood and on eBay - one of the world's largest destinations for comics and collectibles. 

To celebrate this moment, eBay partnered with legendary writer Gail Simone and notable comic illustrator Cat Staggs to launch the world's first online shop dedicated to superheroines. 

Legendary comic book writer Gail Simone

The new destination, "Superheroine HQ," offers a curated selection of comics and memorabilia featuring female superheroes.

Beginning today, fans and collectors can shop thousands of female superhero comics, collectibles and merchandise all in one place at "Superheroine HQ." 

Top items include: 

• Wonder Woman #1 CGC 8.0 ($149,950.00) 
• All Star Comics #8 CGC 5.0 ($87,495.00) 
• Ms. Marvel #1 CGC 9.8 signed by Stan Lee ($4,350.00)  
• Batman Adventures #12 CGC 9.8 - 1st Appearance of Harley Quinn ($1,949.99) 

Newly released, limited edition Captain Marvel: Braver & Mightier #1 comic book 

⏩ Additionally, eBay is offering a newly released, limited edition Captain Marvel: Braver & Mightier #1 comic book with an exclusive variant cover designed in collaboration with eBay, Marvel and eBay seller MyComicShop.

Fandom for superheroines is at an all-time high. eBay has seen a 63 percent spike in sales year-over-year for Captain Marvel and a 34 percent jump in sales year-over-year for female superheroes overall. With the launch of the store, eBay and industry power team Simone and Staggs are working together to put superheroines at the forefront.

"Spotlighting the amazing spectrum of women in comics has long been my passion, both the characters in the books, and the writers and artists who create them," said Gail Simone, writer of such titles as Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Domino. "I believe these fantastic women can inspire readers everywhere to the limits of their imagination and creativity. That's why I'm teaming up with eBay to bring more attention and accessibility to comics featuring strong female characters of past and present."

Additionally, Staggs, who has worked on popular titles, including Smallville Season 11, Adventures of Supergirl, Wonder Woman '77, and Orphan Black, celebrated the launch with original artwork showing the power of comics. Staggs' eBay Superheroine HQ poster illustrates a young girl discovering her passion for comics and imagining herself as a future superhero.

"With the rising popularity of superheroes like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel from comic books to the big screen, we've seen this same interest resonate on eBay," said Sam Bright, Vice President of Merchandising, eBay North America. "We're proud to encourage a more diverse and evolving marketplace among not only our millions of buyers and sellers, but also the merchandise that we offer, giving everyone access to rare, iconic, and exclusive inventory that puts a spotlight on female superheroes."

SOURCE: eBay Inc.

Citizen Watch Sponsors World Premiere Of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel And Unveils Official Captain Marvel Timepieces

Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel

Citizen Watch was a proud sponsor of yesterday's highly anticipated premiere of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel, a cinematic look at Marvel's biggest female superhero.

For the occasion, Citizen welcomed its Marvel ambassador, Josh Peck, to unveil three new Captain Marvel timepieces. Peck unveiled the brand's inaugural Marvel Collection at Comic Con New York in 2018. Together with Peck, Citizen celebrated the official e-commerce availability of the entire collection, which are the first light powered and eco-friendly timepieces featuring the iconic Marvel Studios' characters.

Captain Marvel Timepiece by Citizen.

The novelty Captain Marvel assortment offers three distinct designs reminiscent of Captain Marvel's iconic suit, featuring star detailing and gold piping.

Fans were invited to tune into Marvel's social media channels to countdown to premiere time, courtesy of Citizen.

Leading up to the premiere, Citizen lent its support to non-profit organization, We Have Stories, and their 'Captain Marvel Challenge,' a program aiming to send a few young ladies to the March 8th theatre premiere of Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel. 

• To lend your support, visit: gofundme.com/CaptainMarvel.

Citizen Marvel Ambassador Josh Peck at Captain Marvel Premiere (Credit: Getty)

About Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel:

Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel" is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.

Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel" is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher and Stan Lee are the executive producers. 

The story is by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and the screenplay is by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet. 

Captain Marvel - Poster (Image via LoupDargent.info)

• "Captain Marvel" opens on March 8, 2019 in U.S. theaters.

SOURCE: Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc.

Higher, Further, Faster: Marvel's First Female Cinematic Superhero

Introducing Captain Marvel: she’s a smartass fighting intergalactic evil. (Chris Reid and Marvel)

“Being a woman in a male-dominated industry sort of sucks, but it doesn’t suck any more than being a woman in the world. My advice? Be terrifying.” — Kelly Sue DeConnick, Captain Marvel comic book writer. 

When the Captain Marvel movie opens on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day, it will be Marvel Studios’s first female-superhero led film and many people will be lined up to see this much anticipated flick and to enjoy one of Captain Marvel’s trademark specialties: fighting galactic evil.

But more than just fighting aliens, Captain Marvel represents a strong female superhero with an intricate and complicated past. She struggles with anger issues as well as a sense of purpose. She’s also a sparkle-fisted smartass.

In the last decade, Captain Marvel has become a prominent character in Marvel comics. She’s a member of the Avengers, was the face of one side of the second superhero Civil War, and is a mentor to the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan. In the hands of writers DeConnick, Margaret Stohl, Michele Fazkas, Tara Butters and Kelly Thompson, Captain Marvel has a rich context for cinematic success.

A new hero for a new era

“Let’s rewrite some history, shall we?” — Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)

The Carol Danvers character was originally created by Thomas and Gene Colan in 1968 as a regular person in the U.S. Air Force. Almost a decade later, she gained her powers through an accident and turned into Ms. Marvel. But the Captain Marvel we’ll be seeing on the screen is highly indebted to comic book writer Kelly Sue DeConnick’s narrative. There are even rumours that DeConnick has a cameo in the film.

In 2012, DeConnick created something of a masterpiece when she breathed new life into Captain Marvel. The female superhero first appeared in 1977, and originally named Ms. Marvel as a nod to the iconic feminist magazine, Ms.. She was a minor character but with DeConnick’s writing, Captain Marvel was re-developed to become one of the central characters in the Marvel Universe.

DeConnick’s reboot was also accompanied by a new look — leaving behind thigh-high boots, a swim suit and a mask for shorter hair, a Chuck Yeager jumpsuit and sensible footwear.

DeConnick’s comic book narrative begins with a touching tribute to Carol Danvers’s mentor and fellow air force pilot Helen Cobb — stressing the importance of inspiring female role models. Readers find out that Captain Marvel has tremendous powers drawn from her half human, half Kree DNA. Soon, Danvers is transported back in time and joins the Banshee Squadron, an all-female fighting unit in the Second World War doing battle and using Kree technology to advance the fight.

Carol Danvers also winds up being present at the moment of her superhero origin. Instead of following the 1977 narrative, where she was the victim in an explosion that would give her powers, DeConnick re-writes the narrative as a choice.

Danvers has the opportunity to prevent the explosion but chooses to let the past unfold in alignment with her current desire to be a superhero. This gives Captain Marvel’s reboot a compelling edge. She’s chosen her own destiny to become “the stars we were always meant to be.”

A poignant and hilarious character

Captain Marvel was part of the Ultimates, a mini-series about superheroes preventing cosmic threats (they transform the planet-eating Galactus into a golden fertility god), and became the “boss of space,” taking up residence with Canadian supergroup Alpha Flight on the Alpha Flight Space Station. Captain Marvel also joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and was part of A-Force, an all-female Avengers.

DeConnick’s run was poignant and hilarious and if the movie can keep pace, audiences will be in for a treat. We may also see something special from her cat Goose. (In the comics, Goose is known as Chewie — Captain Marvel is a huge Star Wars fan.) In the movie, Goose will likely steal a scene or two.

As the trailers for the film have shown, Captain Marvel will be punching aliens and blowing stuff up and we’ll definitely see why she has the moniker “Earth’s mightiest hero.” The movie is set in 1995, borrowing elements from Roy Thomas’s comic, “Kree-Skrull War” (originally published as Avengers #89–97 in 1971), and follows Danvers as she becomes Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel is Marvel Studios’s 21st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first with a female-led superhero. Captain Marvel will also make a highly anticipated appearance in Avengers: Endgame, to be released in April, where she will no doubt square off against cosmic threats.

About Today's Contributor:

Kenneth MacKendrick, Associate Professor of Religion, University of Manitoba

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

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UNICEF: 'Alarming Global Surge Of Measles Cases A Growing Threat To Children '

On 9 February 2019 in Yemen, children vaccinated in Aden during a mobile Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign. © UNICEF/UN0284426/Fadhel (CNW Group/UNICEF Canada)

UNICEF warned today that global cases of measles are surging to alarmingly high levels, led by ten countries accounting for more than 74 per cent of the total increase, and several others that had previously been declared measles free.

Countries with ten highest increases in cases between 2017 & 2018

1. Ukraine: 30,338
2. Philippines: 13,192
3. Brazil: 10,262
4. Yemen: 6,641
5. Venezuela: 4,916
6. Serbia: 4,355
7. Madagascar: 4,307
8. Sudan: 3,496
9. Thailand: 2,758
10. France: 2,269  

Globally, 98 countries reported more cases of measles in 2018 compared to 2017, eroding progress against this highly preventable, but potentially deadly disease.

"Vaccines work. They save millions of lives a year and are an important reason why more children today survive," said David Morley, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada.

Ukraine, the Philippines and Brazil saw the largest increases in measles cases from 2017 to 2018. In Ukraine alone, there were 35,120 cases of measles in 2018. According to the government, another 24,042 people were infected just in the first two months of 2019. In the Philippines so far this year, there have been 12,736 measles cases and 203 deaths, compared to 15,599 cases in the whole of 2018.

"This is a wake-up call. We have a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine against a highly contagious disease – a vaccine that has saved almost a million lives every year over the last two decades," said Henrietta H. Fore, UNICEF's Executive Director. "These cases haven't happened overnight. Just as the serious outbreaks we are seeing today took hold in 2018, lack of action today will have disastrous consequences for children tomorrow."

Measles is highly contagious, more so than Ebola, tuberculosis or influenza. The virus can be contracted by someone up to two hours after an infected person has left a room. It spreads through air and infects the respiratory tract, potentially killing malnourished children or babies too young to be vaccinated. Once infected, there is no specific treatment for measles, so vaccination is a life-saving tool for children.

In response to a recent outbreak of measles in British Columbia, Morley added: "Canada must invest in comprehensive monitoring and reporting to close the data gap in vaccination rates and identify populations at risk during outbreaks. We applaud the commitment in mid-February by Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, to tackle misinformation around vaccinations."

UNICEFs global response

In response to these outbreaks, UNICEF and its partners are supporting governments to urgently reach millions of children in countries around the globe. For example:

• In Ukraine, UNICEF has provided ongoing support to accelerate routine immunization across the country and address vaccine hesitancy, including additional efforts to stop the most recent outbreak that has claimed 30 lives since 2017. In February, the Ministry of Health, with UNICEF's support, launched an immunization drive at schools and clinics in the worst-hit Lviv region in western Ukraine, where negative attitudes toward immunization, and previous shortages in vaccine supply, have resulted in low vaccination rates.
• In the Philippines, the government, with support from UNICEF and partners, will conduct a campaign to vaccinate 9 million children against measles across 17 regions. Using social media, campaigners plan to encourage apprehensive parents, and health workers.
• In Brazil, from August to September 2018, the government carried out a campaign against polio and measles, targeting more than 11 million children under five. UNICEF encouraged people to get vaccinated, and trained health monitors working in migrant shelters for Venezuelans. UNICEF has included the measles vaccine as part of the Municipal Seal programme that covers 1,924 municipalities.
• In Yemen, where years of conflict led to an outbreak, local authorities with support from UNICEF, WHO and GAVI vaccinated more than 11.5 million children in February.
• In Madagascar, from 3 September to 21 February, 76,871 people were infected by measles and 928 died, a majority of which were children. In January, the government, with support of partners including UNICEF, launched an immunization campaign to target all 114 districts. Over 2 million children were immunized in 25 districts. In February, 1.4 million children were vaccinated, with another 3.9 million more to follow in March.

"As one of the largest donors of vaccines in the world, Canada has long shown its leadership for immunizing children, which plays a key role in preventing life-threatening illnesses such as polio, pneumonia, tetanus and diarrheal disease," added Morley.

Notable reported measles cases in 2018 in countries with no reported cases in 2017

• Brazil: 10,262
• Moldova: 312
• Montenegro: 203
• Colombia: 188
• Timor-Leste: 59
• Peru: 38
• Chile: 23
• Uzbekistan: 17

Poor health infrastructure, civil strife, low community awareness, complacency and vaccine hesitancy in some cases have led to these outbreaks in both developed and developing countries. For example, in the United States, the number of measles cases increased six-fold between 2017 and 2018, reaching 791 cases. More recently, the U.S. has seen outbreaks in New York and Washington state.

"Almost all of these cases are preventable, and yet children are getting infected even in places where there is simply no excuse," said Fore. "Measles may be the disease, but, all too often, the real infection is misinformation, mistrust and complacency. We must do more to accurately inform every parent, to help us safely vaccinate every child."

To fight measles, UNICEF is issuing an urgent appeal to governments, health care providers, and parents to do more to contain the disease by:

• Understanding that vaccines are safe and effective and can save a child's life
• Vaccinating all children between the ages of six months to five years during outbreaks
• Training and equipping health workers so they can provide quality services
• Strengthening immunization programmes to deliver all life-saving vaccines

About the Measles and Rubella Initiative:

UNICEF is part of the Measles and Rubella Initiative, a private-public partnership of five global partners including WHO, CDC, United Nations Foundation and American Red Cross that has been spearheading a global push towards measles and rubella elimination.

SOURCE: UNICEF Canada

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'The Wandering Earth:' Learns And Differs From Hollywood

'The Wandering Earth' - Poster

The following is a news report by China Mosaic on The Wandering Earth:

"The Wandering Earth" achieved huge box office success during the Lunar New Year period. As China's first homemade sci-fi blockbuster, the film has sparked extensive discussions. The New York Times reported that "it will represent the dawning of a new era in Chinese film making." Director James Cameron also wrote on Sina Weibo that he wished good luck to "The Wandering Earth" and the voyage of Chinese sci-fi films.

The commercial film with high-quality special effects was adapted from the novel of Asia's first Hugo Award Winner Liu Cixin, which boasts a boldly imaginative plot of "building giant planet thrusters to move Earth out of its orbit and to sail it to a new star system."

Frankly speaking, the film has much to learn from the Hollywood industry in terms of framing, scriptwriting, etc. However, it conveys values different from what is typical of Hollywood's films, namely one or a group of superheroes saving the world.

At the end of the film, rescuers from various countries jointly complete the mission to save mankind. What the film aims to reflect is not the heroism of a person, a country, or a nation. Even "collectivism" is not a precise word for its theme since the "community" in the film includes all mankind. In the space station, astronauts use a simultaneous interpretation system to interact fluidly across language boundaries. This frame upholds the vision for a community with a shared future and highlights communication and collaboration as the best ways to address risks.

The film also features Chinese people's attachment to the place where they have lived for a long time and their unwillingness to leave it. Instead of seeking for a new habitat, humans display deep affection for their homeland by "wandering" with Earth to save their civilization.

Liu Cixin said that China now has a strong "sense of future." China's Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) first discovered a radio millisecond pulsar. The cotton seeds carried by the Chang'e 4 have sprouted on the moon. Such breakthroughs drew worldwide attention. China's rapid modernization in recent decades also allows fertile soil for scientific literature and films to grow. We hope that the soil will yield more amazing fruits of Chinese sci-fi film making.

The China Mosaic News Report - Video:

SOURCE: China.org.cn

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