American author Paul Auster, prolific and experimental man of letters and filmmaker, dead at 77

Paul Auster, a prolific, prize-winning man of letters and filmmaker known for such inventive narratives and meta-narratives as The New York Trilogy and 4321, has died at age 77. Auster’s death was confirmed on May 1 by his literary representatives, the Carol Mann Agency, which did not immediately provide additional details. Auster had been diagnosed … Read more

Even gardens have a carbon footprint. Here’s how to reduce the climate impact of urban farming

Urban gardening might seem fairly innocuous when it comes to its overall carbon footprint, but when compared to conventional agriculture, a study released earlier this year would suggest otherwise.  The study, published in January in the science journal Nature, found the carbon footprint of food from urban agriculture is six times greater than conventional agriculture. But there are … Read more

Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki among finalists for 2024 Doug Wright Awards for best Canadian comics

Cousins and collaborators Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki have been nominated for the 2024 Doug Wright Award for their YA graphic novel Roaming. Founded in 2005, the Doug Wright Awards have been awarded annually to celebrate the best in comics across Canada. They are named after influential Canadian cartoonist Doug Wright. This year, 200 entries were submitted to be considered … Read more

Mysterious writer behind ISIS-K propaganda calls himself ‘the Canadian’

A mysterious writer making propaganda for an Afghan branch of ISIS claimed to be based somewhere in Canada which, experts say, could be cause for concern for authorities.  Voice of Khurasan, an online publication used by the Islamic State of Khorasan (ISIS-K), which is suspected of being behind the Moscow attack that killed at least 140 … Read more

Fawzia Mirza’s The Queen of My Dreams is a love letter to Bollywood and queerness

12:36Amrit Kaur lands her first leading film role in the queer, Bollywood-inspired The Queen of My Dreams For Fawzia Mirza, making The Queen of My Dreams her feature film debut was cathartic. “It saved my life,” said the writer-director. The film, which began its life as an art installation and then a 2012 short film, … Read more

Sports Illustrated to continue print editions under reported 10-year deal with new publisher

Sports Illustrated will resume publishing after its owner reached a new rights deal with digital media company Minute Media, which will reportedly operate the magazine for at least 10 years. Monday’s announcement comes nearly two months after owner Authentic Brands terminated its publishing deal with The Arena Group, which led to mass layoffs at the venerable sports … Read more

Love Lies Bleeding is a bizarro, acid-tinged western set in the ’80s

Where Love Lies Bleeding ends up — full of psychedelic visions, blood-covered bodies and more than a fair amount of screaming — is very different from where the movie starts out.  That’s because the Kristen Stewart-led, Rose Glass-directed bodybuilding crime epic is a genre send-up in just about every way. The film follows Lou (Stewart), a 20-something gym manager … Read more

‘Nun cho ga,’ the rare baby mammoth found in Yukon, heads to Ottawa

After an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 years frozen in one spot, Nun cho ga is again on the move — this time, being carried across the country to Ottawa by a delegation of Indigenous elders. Nun cho ga is the name that was given to the almost perfectly-preserved baby mammoth that was dug up by a miner in … Read more

AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)

A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated. He experienced a “ton” of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion. That’s because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence. Carrier wasn’t looking to develop a relationship with something that wasn’t real, nor did he want to become the … Read more