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The Empty Promises of Minimalism




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Christians are the Light of the World




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The Tragic Life, Depression, and Suicide of Popular Singer




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During Pandemic Italians Lower Baskets from Balcony to Feed Hungry




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: TONIGHT: NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS EDWIDGE DANTICAT

Tuesday, September 24, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS: EDWIDGE DANTICAT

Author Edwidge Danticat will discuss her new short story collection, Everything Inside. This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets required; signed copies are also available for pre-purchase. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS: NOVEMBER TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE

Tickets are still available for these upcoming events in the National Book Festival Presents series:

Nov. 6 – Karen Armstrong discusses her new book, “The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts.” Armstrong is the author of numerous groundbreaking works on world religions and speaks often on how faith shapes civic conversation. Click here for ticket information.

 

Nov. 8 – Brad Meltzer & Chris Eliopoulos present their new PBS KIDS series, “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum,” based on their books for children, “Ordinary People Change the World,” featuring the newest titles, “I Am Walt Disney” and “I Am Marie Curie.” The PBS KIDS series, premiering Nov. 11, will introduce kids to inspiring historical figures and the character virtues that helped them succeed. Click here for ticket information.

 

Nov. 13 – André Aciman discusses his new book, “Find Me,” the sequel to his bestselling “Call Me By Your Name,” which was made into an Academy Award-winning film. Click here for ticket information.

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE INAUGURATION: JASON REYNOLDS on 1/16

Thursday, January 16, 10:30 AM
NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE INAUGURATION: JASON REYNOLDS

Award-winning author Jason Reynolds will be inaugurated as the 2020-2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, the seventh writer to hold this position. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will lead a conversation with Reynolds during the ceremony, which will also include a special appearance by 2018-2019 National Ambassador Jacqueline Woodson.

Tickets are not required for this event, which is free and open to the public. This event will also be livestreamed from both the Library's Facebook page and the Library's YouTube site (with captions).

Co-sponsored by Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council, with additional support from Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394

To learn more about Jason Reynolds and his activities as National Ambassador, visit his Library of Congress resource guide




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: National Ambassador Tour Proposal Process Now Open

The Library of Congress' partner, Every Child a Reader, is currently accepting proposal submissions from libraries, schools, community centers, and organizations interested in hosting an event with Jason Reynolds, the 7th National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

Reynolds will travel to rural/small underserved communities across the country during his two-year term to have meaningful discussions with young people. Through his platform, “GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story, he will connect with, listen to, and empower students to share their stories and start their journey as storytellers.

Organizations are encouraged to put together proposals that support and align with Jason's platform and the mission of the program. 

To learn more about the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature program click here. To learn more about Reynolds’ tenure as Ambassador click here.

Submit your proposal here: https://everychildareader.net/ambassador/




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: SPRING EVENT POSTPONEMENTS/CANCELLATIONS

On Thursday, March 12, the Library of Congress closed all Library buildings to the public until April 1. On Tuesday, March 17, the Library announced that all public events are canceled until May 11 to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 coronavirus. Whenever possible, the Library will reschedule the public programs that have been canceled. Please read the Library's public statement, and see the Poetry and Literature Center's event updates below.

 

Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JEFFREY ROSEN AND DAHLIA LITHWICK

This event has been CANCELED.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Author Jeffrey Rosen will discuss his new book, Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty and Law, with Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by the Law Library of Congress and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Thursday, April 2, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS RICHARD FORD

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, the Library of Congress will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

In an event titled “A Good Story Knows No Borders,” Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction winner Richard Ford will give a talk about the universality of fiction as well as participate in a discussion with his German translator, Frank Heibert. The discussion will be moderated by Library of Congress Literary Director Marie Arana. This event is free and open to the public. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 PM
LIFE OF A POET: KIMIKO HAHN

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, Hill Center will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

Poet Kimiko Hahn will discuss her work with Ron Charles, book critic at The Washington Post. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Hill Center and The Washington Post.

Location: Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)
Contact: poetry@loc.gov 

 

Thursday, April 30, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JOY HARJO

This event has been CANCELED.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Joy Harjo will participate in her closing event as the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate, which will include a moderated discussion and special musical performance. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by the Library’s American Folklife Center and Music Division, and presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Thursday, May 7, 7:00 PM
NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS JOHN HESSLER

This event has been POSTPONED to a later date.
Note: Once a date has been confirmed, the Library of Congress will alert all those who registered for the original event date via their email addresses. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends very soon.

John Hessler, specialist in the Library of Congress’ Geography and Map division and author of the best-seller MAP: Exploring the World, will discuss his new book on pre-Columbian cultures, Collecting for the New World. This event is free and open to the public. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: LJ-119, first floor, Thomas Jefferson Building <view map>
Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

For more information about upcoming events, please visit the Poetry and Literature Center's website. 




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Poetry & Literature: News & Events: UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS

Thursday, April 30, 7:00 PM
SPILLOVER: ANIMAL INFECTIONS AND THE NEXT HUMAN PANDEMIC

Prize-winning science writer David Quammen will discuss “Spillover,” in which he tracks the animal origins of human diseases through the centuries, with David Rubenstein. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website. Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Thursday, May 7, 7:00 PM
HOW ONE 21ST CENTURY PANDEMIC, SARS, PREDICTED ANOTHER, COVID-19

Author and journalist Karl Taro Greenfeld will discuss his prescient book on the SARS epidemic, which foreshadowed the more devastating COVID-19 pandemic, with the Library of Congress’s Roswell Encina, chief of communications. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website. Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Friday, May 8, 5:00 PM
BEYOND SUNRISE, THERE IS A SONG WE FOLLOW: U.S. POET LAUREATE JOY HARJO IN CONVERSATION

U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo will discuss her poetry and her work in the laureate position with Rob Casper, head of the Poetry and Literature Center. Co-sponsored by The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP).

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from AWP’s website, where it will also be archived.
Contact: juanita@awpwriter.org

 

Thursday, May 14, 7:00 PM
ONCE UPON A TIME I LIVED ON MARS: SPACE, EXPLORATION AND LIFE ON EARTH

NASA astronaut and scientist Kate Greene lived in a simulated Martian environment located on the slopes of Mauna Loa in Hawai’i, where she spent several months in isolation, doing research. She will discuss the stress, loneliness and other challenges of sequestration with Library of Congress Literary Director Marie Arana. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website. Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

Thursday, May 21, 7:00 PM
WHY IT’S HARD TO KNOW THINGS, LATELY. AND HOW COVID-19 WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY

Bestselling historian and Harvard professor Jill Lepore will discuss how the current pandemic, its effects and our reaction to them say something very real about America in this moment and in the historical record that will emerge from it with John Haskell, director of the John M. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. Presented in partnership with National Book Festival Presents.

Location: Online only—this event will be streamed from both the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions), and will be archived as a webcast on the Library’s website. Contact: specialevents@loc.gov

 

For more information about upcoming events, please visit the Poetry and Literature Center's website.




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Chef Ferran Adria of El Bulli

Ferran Adria on why the knife is the most essential tool in your kitchen.




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Splicing Human DNA Leads to 'Terrible, Terrible Things'

When two ambitious scientists cross human and animal DNA, a new creature evolves.  Director Vincenzo Natali takes horror to places most film makers are afraid to, in his new movie, Splice.




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Dangerous Object: Hitachi Spline-Shank Rotary Hammer

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Olivia Wilde Wants The World To Be a Better Place

Not only is Olivia Wilde a talented actress, she's also an ardent activist.  Artists for Peace and Justice is providing relief for Haiti by funding primary and secondary schools.  Ms. Wilde says education is the key to alleviating poverty.




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Most Dangerous Object in the Office: CRY-AC-3 Liquid Nitrogen Dispenser

Fill the CRY-AC-3's canister with liquid nitrogen and pull the trigger. Then just chill.




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Somali Pirates Aboard Yasa Neslihan

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Bounce Yourself Into Shape With the Bellicon Trampoline

The Bellicon mini trampoline isn't an ordinary trampoline -- it uses individual bungee cords to attach the jumpnig surface to the metal frame, creating an impact-absorbing surface thats great for exercise.




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DIY Tesla Coils Will Shoot 260-Foot Lightning Bolt

Engineer and inventor Greg Leyh tells us about his new Kickstarter project -- constructing two 10-story Tesla coils designed to create a lightning bolt 260 feet long.




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Kinect Makes Yelling At Mass Effect 3 Actually Work

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A True Bionic Limb Remains Far Out of Reach

A True Bionic Limb Remains Far Out of Reach




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Gerber Multi-Plier 600 DET

The D.E.T. tool, based on the popular Multi-Pler 600 provides the combat operator with a compact one-handed opening multi-tool to deal with a number of battlefield situations.




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How to Become a Master Archer Like Katniss Everdeen

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Exclusive: Industrial Light & Magic Makes Hulk Smash!

Wired visits Industrial Light & Magic to see how they made the special effects magic behind 'The Avengers.'




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Autopia - Lit Motors C1

San Francisco based Lit Motors presents their fully electric motorcycle the C1.  Autopia Editor Damon Lavrinc takes a look at a prototype vehicle that may revolutionize how we commute.




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E3 2012: Rock Band - Blitz

In Rock Band: Blitz, Harmonix Music Systems takes away the instruments to present an all-new arcade-style addition to the Rock Band series.




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E3 2012: Metro - Last Light

Defend yourself against mutants as one post apocalyptic Moscow’s last remaining survivors in Metro: Last Light’s crafted single player experience.




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3 Noise-Cancelling Headphones Tested and Rated

We look at a few new pairs of noise-blocking cans -- AKG's K495 NC, the MM 550-X from Sennheiser, and the budget-minded Atmos headphones from Rocketfish.




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Awesome Gadgets That Run Off Your Car's Cigarette Lighter

Whether you're camping, road-tripping, or simply living in your van, there's no replacement for the convenience of dashboard-powered gadgetry. So sit down with Wired's David Kravets, and enjoy a properly blended margarita.




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Exclusive: Frankenweenie Gets a New Life on Screen

Tim Burton talks about his new film Frankenweenie.




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Game|Life - Arcade Rarities Galore

The Game|Life video crew spent our weekend at California Extreme, an annual show featuring an insane collection of classic video and pinball games from the heyday of the arcade.




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H+ - Computer Glitch Wipes Out Civilization

H+ is a Sci-Fi thriller from Bryan Singer.  Its somewhat plausible storyline brings humanity to a sudden stop when a computer glitch causes human implants to malfunction.  This web only series debuts on YouTube on August 8th, 2012.




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CES 2013: Philips uWand

An IR camera paired with an accelerometer offer pinpoint precision for selecting onscreen items on your TV set, and also lets you use gestures to swipe through menus.




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3D Printed Speakers Lit With LED

Check out these beautiful 3D printed LED speakers. You can't actually buy them, but LumiGeek is working on a board that will let you make you're own.




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Inside Larry Ellison's Insane Plan to Turn America's Cup Into a TV Spectacle

Inside Larry Ellison's Insane Plan to Turn America's Cup Into a TV Spectacle




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Massive Biometric Project Gives Millions of Indians an ID

A massive biometric project in India aims to get millions of impoverished citizens a new form of ID.




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Open-Source Electronics Pioneer Limor Fried on the DIY Revolution

Electronics entrepreneur Limor Fried talks about the business of making makers.




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Insectophiliac Builds 12-Foot-High Spider-Bot

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Game|Life - Top Five Video Game Storylines

Inspired by the release of Bioshock Infinite, Game|Life hosts Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin share their five favorite video game story lines, from Final Fantasy to The Walking Dead.




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Game|Life - New Xbox One - Kinect: Exclusive WIRED Video

WIRED gets exclusive first-look at the new Xbox One and Kinect sensor. Watch as we test the new Kinect with advanced 3D and infrared capabilities. Jumping, punching, and fireballs…even in the dark. This is a special edition of Game|Life, to follow the series go to video.wired.com or subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/WIRED.




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Game|Life - New Xbox One - TV Integration: Exclusive WIRED Video

WIRED gets exclusive first-look at the new Xbox One and its ability to "snap" games, TV/cable, and even Skype. Watch as we demo the newly overhauled voice control, programming guide, and social media integration for the first time! Chat with friends while watching the big game! This is a special edition of Game|Life, to follow the series go to video.wired.com or subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/WIRED.




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Game|Life - New Xbox One - Design: Exclusive WIRED Video

WIRED gets exclusive first-look at the new Xbox One from prototypes to final design. Get a behind the scenes look at the newest Xbox One Kinect sensor, game controller, and console. See what wild designs never made the final cut! This is a special edition of Game|Life, to follow the series go to video.wired.com or subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/WIRED.




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Game|Life - Giant Lego X-Wing Fighter Lands in Times Square

Lego unveils a massive full-scale replica of Star Wars X-Wing Fighter in Times Square. This 5.3 million brick behemoth weighs in at over 23 tons and is the largest Lego construction ever built in the world. Before the curtain was opened to the public, Game|Life got a behind-the-scenes first hand look at the mother of all Lego projects.




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Game|Life - Veronica Belmont on the Future of Gaming

Video game royalty, Veronica Belmont, joins hosts Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin in the Game|Life studio. Hear this internet star of Tekzilla, The Sync Up, and Sword & Laser share her views on ColecoVision, BioShock Infinite, and the future of always-online gaming.




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Game|Life - Jonathan Blow on What to Expect from His New Game The Witness

Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid, tells Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin what to expect from his new 3D exploration/puzzle game The Witness. SPACE INVADERS FOOTAGE (C) TAITO CORPORATION 1978 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED




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Game|Life - Veronica Belmont on Fake Geek Girls

Veronica Belmont talks to Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin about people accusing others of being fake geek girls and her opinions on trying to keep the “nerd” or “geek” culture exclusive.




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Game|Life - E3 Wrap Up with Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin

Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin wrap-up the major highlights from this year's E3.




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Game|Life - Veronica Belmont and Jonathan Blow on the Future of Gaming

Hosts Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin welcome internet star Veronica Belmont and indie game designer Jonathan Blow to discuss the future of game consoles, indie game distribution, and what an Apple TV would mean for gamers and developers alike.




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Game|Life - Jonathan Blow on The Witness Release Date

Indie game designer, Jonathan Blow, talks with Peter Rubin and Chris Kohler about the long awaited release date for The Witness and if we can expect to see it out anytime soon.




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Game|Life - Gameboy Rarities Appraised

Chris Kohler digs into his collection to show off his a couple rarities, and gives some tips on building your own cache of hard-to-find games.




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Game|Life - E3 Expo - Oculus Rift VR Headset 1080p Version

Wired editors Chris Kohler and Peter Rubin experience the new HD 1080p version of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset at the E3 expo. Watch their reactions and hear their detailed review in this episode of Wired's Game|Life.