Music Review: The rock band Garbage are defiant on new album, ‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light'
Buzz-saw guitars, dense synthesizers and throbbing percussion can sometimes brighten the mood.
That's the goal of the new album from the American rock band Garbage, 'Let All That We Imagine Be the Light.' Due for release Friday, it's the sound of frontwoman Shirley Manson pushed to the brink by health issues and the fury of our times.
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Winnipeg Free Press
17 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A killer curveball
Our favourite diminutive gray-haired autistic private eye Holly Gibney faces not one, not two, but three totally whackjob wingnut killers converging on dreary Buckeye City on the even drearier shores of Lake Erie. Having sold plenty of copies of his most recent novel Holly, American horror master Stephen King brings Gibney back again, this time tackling an unknown avenger seemingly killing people randomly, and siblings from a far-right church aiming to assassinate a feminist icon. Well, as Holly might say, this is kind of poopy, but no more than she can handle. Probably. Maybe. Shane Leonard photo After supporting roles in some of his other books, Never Flinch is Stephen King's second novel to feature Holly Gibney as the protagonist. Never Flinch is quite the episodic tale, offering us disparate elements galore, which we're confident will all come together in an apocalyptic finale. One hint: no supernatural creatures this time… just evil on steroids. To set the scene: A man who was beaten out for a big promotion frames his competitor as a child pornographer who goes to prison and is murdered by another inmate. The elevated runner-up doesn't get to enjoy his new job very long; he has terminal cancer and relents, although the innocent man is dead by then. Except… except that there's evidence he recanted in time to save the wrongfully convicted man, but the prosecutor sat on the evidence because he had a slam-dunk conviction. Now someone has announced he'll kill 13 innocents and one guilty in retribution. And proceeds to start doing so. Meanwhile, feminist motivational author Kate is on a speaking tour across the U.S., attracting hordes of supporters and MAGA haters. King quietly works in the names of real doctors murdered for providing abortion as a health care service. Unbeknownst to Kate and faithful assistant Corrie, a right-wing church has dispatched siblings Chris and Chrissy to try to scare her off the campaign, and if that doesn't work, to murder her and as many of her followers as they can manage. In Buckeye City, it goes without saying. The plot needs even more thickening — so Holly becomes Kate's bodyguard. Meanwhile, legendary soul singer Sista Betty is going to be performing in Buckeye City, and is a huge admirer of Holly's young associate, poet Barbara, and wants to adapt one of her poems to music and perform it together. Yes, together. Barbara and her brother Jerome are tangentially helping Holly unofficially sleuthing the growing list of random murders, after Holly is off-the-books enlisted by her friend police detective Izzy. Never Flinch Meanwhile (yet again), Izzy is starting pitcher for the cops in a charity softball game against the firefighters, that the mayor has decreed must go on, serial carnage notwithstanding. Further muddying the picture, the firefighters are depicted as a pack of MAGA misogynists. Stephen King has written dozens of horror novels since Carrie in 1976, only a handful limited to human beings, and a paucity of straightforward murder mysteries, an obvious exception Holly the book, albeit with elderly professorial cannibals. Never Flinch does get quite busy, the softball game especially cumbersome. In a desperate attempt to avoid spoilers: some characters are dealt with quite abruptly, when we might expect drawn-out confrontations lasting the better part of a chapter. King has generally had well-meaning white liberals from the northern U.S. as his protagonists, for which Holly certainly qualifies. He has had less success writing Black characters who feel like rounded real people. Barbara, Jerome and Sista Betty are just so nice, and so magnificently talented in everything they do. They feel like folk in a '50s sitcom about perfect families. Nevertheless, Holly Gibney is an appealing hero with legions of fans. In the acknowledgements, King says his wife Tabitha read a draft and told him he could have done better. Maybe so, but it's Stephen King, and Never Flinch offers a darned good read. Retired Free Press reporter Nick Martin has no intention of visiting Erie or Sandusky or whichever awful Ohio city that Buckeye City is supposed to be; he reckons random murders might not have been one of the featured tourism draws.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Who is ‘Miss Atomic Bomb'? A historian searched for 25 years for the answer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — It wasn't going to be easy to track down the woman who came to be known as 'Miss Atomic Bomb.' All Robert Friedrichs had to go on was a stage name he found printed under an archival newspaper photo that showed her posing with other Las Vegas showgirls. It would take him more than two decades to unravel the mystery of Lee A. Merlin's true identity. Friedrichs, 81, isn't a detective. He's a historian and a retired scientist who got his start during the atomic age, a complicated moment in American history when the line was blurred between fear and fascination with nuclear power. Between 1951 and 1992, hundreds of nuclear tests were performed, mostly underground, in the desert outside Las Vegas. But it was the massive mushroom clouds from the above-ground nuclear blasts that captured the public's imagination throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Las Vegas sought to capitalize on that craze, and in 1957 sent a photographer out on assignment to shoot a promotional ad for nuclear tourism. He got an idea to capture the lead dancer at the Sands Hotel in a swimsuit in the shape of a fluffy mushroom cloud. In the photo, the high-heeled showgirl is smiling with arms outstretched as the desert unfolds behind her like a stage. The image played a key role in shaping Las Vegas ' identity as a city of fantasy and spectacle. Yet little was known about the star of the photo — until now. Chasing clues Friedrichs first set out to find Miss Atomic Bomb around 2000. The Atomic Museum was set to open in Las Vegas in a few years and as a founding member, he was 'hoping against hope' that she was still alive and could attend the grand opening. What started as a simple question — Who was she? — became an obsession for Friedrichs that outlasted careers and outlived friends. Friedrichs filled stacks of binders with clues and potential leads, like one that led him 'to a guy in South Dakota.' Days off were spent either combing through online newspaper archives or sifting through special collections at the library. He tracked down the photographer from that famous photoshoot and interviewed former showgirls who confirmed Miss Atomic Bomb's stage name. But the woman's real name still eluded him. Leads dried up and months turned into years. The mystery didn't keep him up at night, but he said when he was awake, it consumed his thoughts. He would sometimes stare at the photo, wondering if she'd ever give up the answer. Then, last winter, something unexpected happened. He gave a talk at the Atomic Museum about his search, and the next day, an audience member sent him a copy of an obituary. A detail stood out: The woman had once been the lead dancer at the Sands Hotel. Her name was Anna Lee Mahoney. Beyond the stage name She was born on Aug. 14, 1927, in the Bronx. Mahoney trained in ballet in New York before performing in shows and musicals under her stage name, Lee A. Merlin. By 1957, she was the lead dancer at the Sands Hotel's Copa showroom, a frequent haunt of the Rat Pack and mobsters. She performed for elite audiences, including Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong, according to her obituary. After hanging up her dancing shoes, Mahoney worked for 30 years as a mental health counselor, moved to Hawaii and got married. She died in 2001 in Santa Cruz, California, after a battle with cancer. Her photograph is one of the most requested of the 7.5 million images kept in the Las Vegas Convention Center and Visitors Authority's archive. It has inspired Halloween costumers, and former Playboy Bunny Holly Madison recreated it in 2012. One of the outtakes from the famous shoot appears in the background of an episode of 'Crime Story,' a police TV drama set in the 1960s. 'It's just really amazing that one click of the shutter could have such an impact,' Friedrichs said. A temporary exhibit showcasing the decades-long search opens June 13 at the Atomic Museum. 'It's about Miss Atomic Bomb, about Anna Lee Mahoney,' said Joseph Kent, the museum's deputy director and curator, 'but it's also about Robert's quest to find out her real identity.' New friends and old stories Over the years, the project had become deeply personal for Friedrichs. He and the photographer, Don English, became fast friends after their first meeting. Before the Atomic Museum opened to the public, Friedrichs took English inside to tour the space. English brought the original camera he used to take the infamous photo. English posed in the lobby for a photo with a life-sized cardboard cutout of 'Miss Atomic Bomb.' Friedrichs jokes it's his favorite of all the photos he's collected of her in 25 years. English died in 2006, long before Friedrichs solved the mystery. Instead he called English's daughter to share the news. 'She was really excited that we had gotten this put to bed,' Friedrichs said. And then there were the showgirls who spent hours talking with Friedrichs. They shared their stage names and stories about vintage Vegas — fancy dinners, photoshoots and lavish gifts like a beautiful citrine ring that one of them got from a man who wanted to marry her. The women provided a glimpse into the atomic era, life as Copa showgirls and how they became icons of Las Vegas, yet were sometimes misidentified in photo captions or their names altogether omitted. And finally, with the help of private investigators who donated their time, Friedrichs uncovered conclusive evidence linking all of Miss Atomic Bomb's names to a single Social Security number. 'It's something I always hoped would be completed in my lifetime,' said Friedrichs, teary-eyed. His motivation to solve the mystery didn't come from curiosity alone. The missing name was a gap in the historical record, he said, and he wanted to fix it. 'It's sort of like knowing someone was the first president of the United States, but what was his name again?'
Vancouver Sun
20 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Cook This: 3 recipes for sharing from Family Style, including crispy devilled tea eggs
Our cookbook of the week is Family Style by fashion designer Peter Som. Jump to the recipes: crispy devilled tea eggs , sweet and sour sticky ribs with citrus peanut gremolata, and charred cabbage with hoisin tahini Caesar . Fashion and food may seem a world apart, but for designer and cookbook author Peter Som , they're connected. A great-looking sweater might catch your eye as you scroll, but appearance isn't everything. There's also how it fits and feels. Likewise, we eat with our eyes first, yet a dish has to have substance, following up its looks with flavour and texture. Though the fundamentals and technicalities differ, Som's creative approach to both is similar. 'Whenever I design clothes, I like my clothes to be what they call 'front of closet.' That's a garmento term, but it's those pieces you want to wear every day. That favourite sweater,' says Som, who has dressed many notable figures, including Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Som extended his elegant way with the everyday to the 100 recipes in his cookbook debut, Family Style (Harvest, 2025). 'I want these to be dishes you'll make over and over. That'll be great when you get home on a Tuesday at seven and you're tired, or perfect for Saturday company.' Writing the book was a period of rediscovery for Som. He dedicated Family Style to his mom, Helen, and maternal grandma, Mary, the family matriarch who died 20 years ago. His aunts, uncles, cousins, sister and mom shared stories, which helped him learn more about Mary through her food as he translated their memories into recipe form. Helen and Mary instilled a love of food in Som from a young age. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, his grandmother's mostly Cantonese cooking and American baking and his mom's love of French food and the local, seasonal cuisine born out of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., shaped him. 'I could never get McDonald's, which, as a kid, is really annoying, but now, I fully appreciate the dedication she put into everything that was put on the plate,' he says of Helen's cooking. 'As a working architect, she didn't have tons of time. But when my sister and I would get our braces tightened, she would make spinach soufflé because it was easy to eat, and we got our vegetables. Food has always been very central to my life, and it's been exciting to delve into it even more.' Som sees his career in food as an 'expanding focus,' not a departure from fashion. 'I still have a few toes in fashion in a few projects. But back when I did my runway collections, I was full-on. I had all toes, all hands and my full body — I was all-in fashion, and cooking was always in the background. I think it was the thing that kept my feet on the ground in a very heady, sometimes crazy industry.' Retreating to his kitchen, whether to cook for himself or his friends, was a way for Som to centre himself. When he closed his runway collection business in 2015, cooking became even more integral. Som's professional foray into food started organically as he tapped into something that he had long loved to do. Som started sharing photos of his dinner on Instagram and realized his audience had an appetite for it when people started asking for the recipes. In 2019, he launched The Extra Taste , a vertical on his website featuring all things food, including recipes and restaurant guides. In fifth grade, Som knew he wanted to be a fashion designer. 'From that moment on, I had my blinders on. I was focused. So, it took me a while to allow myself to have a new dream, in a way. And it wasn't until I took off those blinders that I saw something I loved through the whole time, right under my nose.' The book's title is a nod to Som's design background. He likes his dishes to look appealing without feeling belaboured, whether it's a finishing flurry of herbs or a sprinkle of salt. It also encompasses his favourite way to eat: family style. 'There's nothing more fulfilling than family, blood or chosen, coming around a table and breaking bread or, in my case, sharing rice,' he says, laughing. If you have a pantry and a fridge door full of essentials, such as 'flavour bombs' miso, hoisin and Pecorino Romano, Som believes you can mix and match and come up with a delicious meal. Creativity in the kitchen is the throughline of Family Style. He wants readers to have fun — to allow themselves to experiment, play with ingredients and taste how they go together. 'You never know where it'll lead you.' After all, he says, 'Umami is umami, whether it comes from miso, soy sauce or a hunk of Parmesan.' Som merges influences, using hoisin and tahini in a Caesar dressing drizzled over charred cabbage wedges and finishes an udon dish with finely grated Pecorino Romano. From his award-winning eponymous fashion line to past women's runway collections for Tommy Hilfiger and current designs for Rent the Runway , Som is renowned for sleek silhouettes and vibrant colours. When he had his runway collections, Som says he designed 'happy clothes' for everyday moments, not just special occasions. He develops recipes with a similar ethos. 'If something can put a smile on your face, especially in the crazy world we're living in, that's what it's all about. For me, and I think for a lot of people, food is comfort. It's security. It's nostalgia. It brings you back to those childhood memories. So, if somebody makes my recipe and it makes them smile, that's the greatest honour.' Makes: 12 devilled eggs Marinated eggs: 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns 1 star anise 2 tsp sugar 3 black tea bags 6 large eggs Panko topping: 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup panko 1/8 tsp smoked paprika 1/4 cup mix of finely chopped dill and cilantro Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Everything else: 3 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise 1/2 tsp oyster sauce 1/2 tsp mustard powder Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 sheet nori, finely chopped 1 tbsp bonito flakes Dill and cilantro, for garnish In a small pot, combine the light soy, dark soy, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, sugar, tea bags and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely, then remove and discard the tea bags. Transfer the marinade to an airtight container. Rinse the pot, fill with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for 9 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Peel the eggs and add them to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 hours, stirring the eggs a few times to ensure the marinade coats all the eggs thoroughly. To make the panko topping, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the panko and smoked paprika and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate and spread out to let cool. To assemble, remove the eggs from the marinade and cut them in half, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Remove the yolks with a spoon and transfer to a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise, oyster sauce and mustard powder and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Use two spoons to spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg whites. To serve, spread half the toasted panko on a serving plate, then top with the devilled eggs. Sprinkle with the remaining panko and top with the nori and bonito flakes. Garnish with dill and cilantro and serve. Serves: 6-8 Ribs: 1 tbsp five-spice powder 2 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne powder 1 (4-lb/1.8-kg) rack baby back pork ribs 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup beer, apple cider or water Sweet and sour sauce: 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp sriracha Kosher salt 2 to 3 drops red food colouring (optional) 2 tsp cornstarch Gremolata: Grated zest of 1 orange Grated zest of 1 lemon Grated zest of 1 lime 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Preheat the oven to 275F (140C). Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine the five-spice, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne and mix to combine. Rub the rack of ribs with the olive oil, then coat completely with the spice rub on all sides, patting with your hands to make it adhere. Place the rack bone side down on the prepared baking sheet (if your rack is large, cut it in half). Add the beer to the pan, taking care not to pour it onto the rack. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the sweet and sour sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the ketchup, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, sriracha, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and food colouring (if using). In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until completely combined, then pour the mixture into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside. Remove the foil, turn the ribs bone side up, and brush generously with the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the oven temperature up to 400F (200C) and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes, flipping the ribs and slathering with more sauce every 5 minutes. Turn the broiler on high. Brush more sauce on the meaty side of the ribs and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and starting to darken. Remove the ribs from the oven and brush one final coat of glaze on top. Let rest for 15 minutes. While the ribs are resting, make the gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the orange zest, lemon zest, lime zest, parsley, peanuts and olive oil. Cut the rack into individual ribs. Sprinkle with the gremolata and serve with more sweet and sour sauce alongside. Serves: 6-8 1 large head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with root end attached 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp fennel seeds Hoisin tahini Caesar: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 3 tbsp tahini Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp hoisin sauce 2 tsp anchovy paste 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Everything else: 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup panko 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp grated lemon zest Chopped dill fronds and chives, for garnish Flaky sea salt, for finishing Preheat the oven to 450F (230C) with a rack in the centre position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out the cabbage wedges on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes, or until the wedges are tender and charred on the edges. Flip, sprinkle with the fennel seeds, season again with kosher salt and pepper, and continue to roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until the edges are charred, the cabbage is tender, and a knife inserted into the root end slides in easily. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, mayonnaise, olive oil, mustard, hoisin, anchovy paste and Pecorino Romano. Season with kosher salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko and sesame seeds and toast, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Arrange the cabbage on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle the sesame panko atop, then garnish with dill and chives. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve. Recipes and images excerpted from the book Family Style by Peter Som. Copyright ©2025 by Peter Som. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here .
