Latest news with #Mullaney
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A professor's hunt for the rarest Chinese typewriter
It went into a suitcase and he took it back to California, where it joined a growing collection of Asian-language typing devices he'd hunted down. But there was one typewriter that Mullaney had little hope of ever finding: the MingKwai. Made by an eccentric Chinese linguist turned inventor living in Manhattan, the machine had mechanics that were a precursor to the systems almost everyone now uses to type in Chinese. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Only one -- the prototype -- was ever made. Advertisement 'It was the one machine,' he said recently, 'which despite all my cold-calling, all my stalking, was absolutely, 100 percent, definitely gone.' Mullaney's mania for clunky text appliances began in 2007, when he was preparing a talk on the disappearance of Chinese characters and found himself contemplating the disintegration of everything. Among the vast number of characters in the Chinese language -- around 100,000, by some estimates -- there are hundreds that no one alive knows how to pronounce. They are written down, plain as day, in old books, but their sounds, even their meanings, have been lost. Advertisement Sitting in his office, wondering at how something seemingly immortalized in print could be forgotten, Mullaney went down a mental rabbit hole. It would have been physically impossible to build a typing machine to include all the characters that were historically written out by hand, he thought. Some characters must have made the cut, while others were left behind. He sat back in his chair and asked himself: Could he recall ever having seen a Chinese typewriter? Two hours later, he was lying on the floor of his office, looking at patent documents for such devices. There had been, over the last century and a half, dozens of different Chinese typewriters made. Each one was an inventor's take on how to incorporate thousands of characters into a machine without making it unusable -- a physical manifestation of their ideas about language. Never plentiful, the typewriters were now increasingly rare, gone the way of most obsolete technology. Mullaney was fascinated. That evening turned into months of research, which turned into years of searching, as Chinese typewriters became one of his areas of historical expertise. He cold-called strangers and left voicemail messages for private collectors, people whom he suspected, from faint traces left on the internet, of having typewriters. He pored over looking for the next of kin of the last known owner of a particular machine. He called museums and asked, 'Do you, by any chance, have a Chinese typewriter?' Sometimes, they said yes. A private museum in Delaware happened to have a surviving IBM Chinese typewriter, of which only two or three were ever made. Someone at a Chinese Christian church in San Francisco got in touch with him to say they owned a typewriter that they were trying to get rid of. Mullaney took it off their hands. Advertisement The MingKwai is legendary among the handful of people who know about Chinese typewriters. It was invented by Lin Yutang, a Chinese linguist and public intellectual who had begun to worry in the 1930s that without some way to convert ink-brush characters into easily reproduced text, China would be left behind technologically -- perhaps destroyed at the hands of foreign powers. Attempts to create typing machines usually stumbled over the problem of cramming a galaxy of characters into a single machine. Lin's solution was an ingenious system housed in what looked like a large Western typewriter. But when you tapped the keys, something remarkable happened. Any two keystrokes, representing pieces of characters, moved gears within the machine. In a central window, which Lin called the Magic Eye, up to eight different characters containing those pieces then appeared, and the typist could select the right one. Lin had made it possible to type tens of thousands of characters using 72 keys. It was almost as if, Mullaney said, Lin had invented a keyboard with a single key capable of typing the entire Roman alphabet. He named his machine MingKwai, which roughly translates to 'clear and fast.' Lin, who was then living with his wife and children on Manhattan's Upper East Side, hired a New York machinist firm to make a prototype, at enormous cost to himself. He presented that prototype in a demonstration to executives from Remington, the typewriter manufacturer. Advertisement It was a failure. The machine malfunctioned at a crucial moment. Lin went bankrupt and the prototype was sold to Mergenthaler Linotype, a printing company in Brooklyn. And that, as far as Mullaney had been able to find out, was the machine's last known location. When Mergenthaler Linotype moved offices sometime in the 1950s, the machine disappeared. In his 2017 book, 'The Chinese Typewriter,' Mullaney wrote that he believed the MingKwai had most likely ended up on a scrap heap. This past January, Jennifer and Nelson Felix were in their home in Massapequa, N.Y., going through boxes that had been in storage since Felix's father died in Arizona five years before. They were looking at a wooden crate sitting among the cardboard boxes. 'What's this?' Jennifer Felix asked her husband. He'd had a peek in the crate back in Arizona. Oh, he said, it's that typewriter. She opened it, and realized it was not a typical typewriter. The symbols on the keys looked like Chinese. Nelson Felix, who often sold and bought items on Facebook, quickly found a group called 'What's My Typewriter Worth?' and posted some photos. Then they set it aside and moved on to other things. An hour later, Nelson Felix checked on his post. There were hundreds of comments, many written in Chinese. People kept tagging someone named Tom. The couple looked at each other. 'Who's Tom?' Mullaney was in Chicago to give a talk when his phone started going off -- ping, ping, ping. The small community of people he'd encountered in his long quest were sending up digital flares, urgently trying to get his attention. As soon as he saw the post, he knew exactly what he was looking at. It was the MingKwai. Advertisement But he didn't rejoice. He didn't sigh with relief. He was gripped with fear. What if they didn't know what they had and sold it before he could get to it? Someone could buy it with a click on eBay. They could make it into a coffee table. Take it apart and make steampunk earrings. It would be gone, just like that. He posted a comment on Facebook, asking the poster to contact him right away. After a few frantic hours, he got a reply, and the next day he and the Felixes were on the phone. He told them the MingKwai's story. He said that while it was up to them what they did with it, he hoped they would consider selling it to a museum. He was afraid that if it were sold at auction, it would disappear, a trophy hidden in the vacation home of an oil tycoon. Jennifer Felix was bewildered by what was happening. It was just a typewriter in a basement. But Mullaney had made an impression. 'It was lost for half a century,' she said. 'We didn't want it to get lost again.' 'To me it's just a typewriter,' she continued. 'But to other people it's history; it's a story, a life, a treasure.' Instructions and a box of tools were used to cast more Chinese character bars for the MingKwai 9 typewriter. CHRISTIE HEMM KLOK/NYT Mullaney figured out that Jennifer Felix's grandfather, Douglas Arthur Jung, had been a machinist at Mergenthaler Linotype. It's likely that when the company moved offices, he took the machine home. Then it was passed down to Felix's father, who, for more than a decade, had kept the MingKwai with him. 'That's what my dad decided to keep and bring across the country when they moved,' Felix said. Advertisement Keys on the MingKwai 9 typewriter. CHRISTIE HEMM KLOK/NYT Why, of all he had inherited from his own father, did he hang on to this typewriter? She doesn't know. But she feels it must have been a conscious choice: The MingKwai would not have been packed by accident. It weighs more than 50 pounds. In April, the couple made their decision. They sold the machine for an undisclosed amount to the Stanford University Libraries, which acquired it with the help of a private donor. This spring, the MingKwai made its way back across the country. When it was lifted out of the crate onto the floor at a Stanford warehouse, Mullaney lay down to look at it. The history professor could see that it was full of intricate machinery, far more delicate than any other typewriter he'd seen, and he began to imagine how engineers might help him understand it -- perhaps revealing what was going on in Lin's mind in 1947 when he invented a machine he thought could rescue China. Perhaps they could even build a new one. Lying on his stomach, Mullaney began to wonder. The MingKwai 9 typewriter. CHRISTIE HEMM KLOK/NYT This article originally appeared in
Irish Examiner
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Myo Café encourages businesses to raise funds for local charities on 'Cork Independence Day'
A community hub and café in the heart of Cork city has launched a call for local businesses to raise funds for a local charity of their choice, as part of a tongue-in-cheek Cork Independence Day. Myo Café, which was founded as a passion project by community activist Liam Mullaney, is encouraging businesses across the heart of the rebel county to champion local charities this Saturday. Mullaney has been inspired by 'the shared principles of humanity and community' which he says are 'woven into the fabric of our history in Cork' as well as 'frequent topics of conversation among our customers here in Myo'. 'In protest of the deeply inhumane policies being promoted by Trump of late, we want to show the importance of community spirit, protest and real independence,' he said. 'We want to see local businesses think outside the box with us, to promote the arts and raise funds for a charity of their choosing.' Myo Café will be hosting a series of events on the day, promoting local musicians, raising funds for Shine A Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness, and Edel House." Myo Café's 'Cork Independence Day' proclamation. As well as the launch of Myo's Cork Proclamation declaring Cork's 'independence' from the rest of the world, the Place of Peace creative project on Pope's Quay will also be re-launched at 5pm on the day. The collaborative art project was created by Cork-based artist Davey Dummigan, along with members of the city's international community impacted by war. Cork city bars, restaurants, and other businesses interested in hosting their own Cork Independence Day event can contact Myo at corkmyo@
Irish Examiner
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork café owner launches art competition to pay homage to the city's river
The owner of a café on the banks of the Lee has launched an art competition in homage to the city's main waterway. Liam Mullaney, who runs Café Myo on Pope's Quay, on the river's northern quays, hopes the River Lee Art Competition will bring attention to the history and beauty of the natural landmark which is so deeply tied to the identity of the city. The south-facing quay, lined with the tables and chairs of surrounding cafés and bars, has gained a reputation in recent years as a popular and trendy part of the city. A community activist, Mr Mullaney said he has seen remarkable change in the area since the café opened in 2014, witnessing its transformation from just another mundane urban street to a lively centre of commerce and community. Although the art competition is named after the river itself, Mr Mullaney said: 'This isn't just about geography – it's about memory, imagination, and personal connection.' Participants will be provided with a map of the north channel of the river and its bridges, which they will be asked to interpret in their own way to create a piece on canvas that reflects what the Lee means to them. Liam Mullaney: 'This isn't just about geography – it's about memory, imagination, and personal connection.' Picture: Jim Coughlan The pieces will be exhibited to the public this autumn, on the banks of the very river they depict. Various cash prizes totalling €1,500 will be announced on the day, with the grand prize of €1,000 to be chosen by prominent Cork artist Vivienne Roche. Artists will also be given the option to have their piece auctioned once the exhibition ends, with all the proceeds going to local charities. Those who wish to enter have until the end of June to register their interest, with a deadline of September 1, 2025, to submit a piece. Read More Cork City hosting Playful Culture Trail for kids and families over the summer
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Data-Crunching Wall Street Skeptics Sit Out the Turnaround Trade
(Bloomberg) -- Michael Mullaney's mind was elsewhere during the market rebound this week, even as stocks surged, borrowing costs for Corporate America eased and Treasuries settled down. Trump Gives New York 'One Last Chance' to End Congestion Fee Why Car YouTuber Matt Farah Is Fighting for Walkable Cities Backyard Micro-Flats Aim to Ease South Africa's Housing Crisis The Racial Wealth Gap Is Not Just About Money Newsom Says California Is Now the World's Fourth-Biggest Economy Instead, the head of research at value-investing firm Boston Partners found himself checking and re-checking economic data that he fears show early signs of the damage already caused by Donald Trump's trade war. Signals like dwindling Los Angeles shipping volumes, declining tourism-related travel and shrinking credit-card receipts in key consumer sectors. His cautious stance runs counter to his peers plunging back into risk assets — relieved by signals from both Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the White House appears to be easing its muscular posture against top economic partners. 'This is not going to go away in 90 days,' says Mullaney, who helps oversee $110 billion. 'There's still going to be significant impact on economic activity no matter where these tariff levels actually settle out.' While a full-on market meltdown may have been averted, he's holding cash, worried the fallout from the trade hostility may be too entrenched to avert. Time will tell if the will to caution is the correct one — or just another example in the long history of skeptics getting clobbered when American markets shake off malaise and rebound. Favoring cash can be costly in weeks like the one just finished, in which credit, stocks and Treasuries posted their best in-tandem run-up of the year. Bitcoin surpassed $95,000, leading the rebound in risk assets. Risk premiums for high-yield debt were on course to tighten the most since 2023, while measures of credit volatility fell sharply. Leveraged exchange-traded funds with bullish investing tilts have also taken $7 billion of inflows in the past month. Mullaney and a few like-minded pros see reason to doubt that Wall Street's history of quick resurrections will repeat. They're sweating over categories of high-frequency data that, while far from front-page news, may provide clues as to whether April's policy disruption will cause lasting economic pain. At Apollo Global Management Inc., chief economist Torsten Slok flagged a 'collapsing' number of container vessels departing China for the United States, writing in a note that consumers will soon see higher inflation and significant layoffs in trucking, logistics and retail jobs. At JPMorgan Chase & Co., chief US economist Michael Feroli is looking at high-frequency data already showing a drop in international visitors, which he warns would put pressure on economic growth. The S&P 500 is now less than 3% below levels seen just before the unveiling of tariffs on so-called Liberation Day. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields have fallen more than 20 basis points in the past two weeks, calming fears that foreign investors are fleeing US assets en masse, while the dollar has stabilized. 'There's a binary difference in the state of the world between pre-April data with very low tariffs and post-Liberation Day data,' said Jake Schurmeier, portfolio manager at Harbor Capital Advisors. 'The economy through March had few tangible effects of tariffs, sentiment was souring, but activity wasn't. April and May we should begin to see real price and quantity effects of tariffs.' Schurmeier, who has neutral positioning in his portfolio, is also worried about a material slowdown in trade activity. He's parsing through daily data on port queues and global shipping volumes as some of the most up-do-date insights on the economy. A refrain of bulls is that, while consumer sentiment has suggested caution time and time again, so-called soft data pales next to hard reports based on real money changing hands. Yet there are signs Trump's trade war will materially hit growth, with the median respondent in a Bloomberg survey of economists now seeing a 45% chance of a recession in the next 12 months. That's up from 30% in March. On Friday, US consumer sentiment reached one of its lowest readings as long-term inflation expectations jumped again. Mixed corporate earnings have brought limited clarity as companies remain unsure about tariff fallout. Danielle DiMartino Booth, chief strategist at QI Research, is watching an index that screens how many households are tapping bankruptcy lawyers. It's already at the highest since the pandemic. 'Lending standards are tightening, getting clamped down, mortgages are being rejected, refinancing applications are being rejected and there's no fiscal stimulus,' she said. DiMartino Booth is telling clients who want equity exposure to add high dividend and defensive stocks, while touting Treasury bills along with high-quality corporate bonds with limited interest-rate risk. Regardless, signs that Trump has reconsidered some of his most aggressive policy signs have reinvigorated Wall Street bulls. The president on Tuesday said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and also said he'd be willing to 'substantially' pare back his 145% tariffs on China. Some of that optimism was later punctured after Trump issued confusing signals about the status of talks while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified the US was not looking to unilaterally lower tariffs on China. Over in Huntersville, North Carolina, Cliff Hodge plans to capitalize on the rebound to pare equity risk, and is maintaining a defensive posture in fixed income. 'We do incorporate a number of high-frequency data points into our investing process. Most of it is consumption or labor-market oriented,' said the chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth. 'Quite a few of them are pointing toward an economy which is slowing, though too early to make a call on outright recession.' --With assistance from Nazmul Ahasan. As More Women Lift Weights, Gyms Might Never Be the Same Why US Men Think College Isn't Worth It Anymore The Mastermind of the Yellowstone Universe Isn't Done Yet India's 110% Car Tariffs Become Harder to Defend in Trump Era Eight Charts Show Men Are Falling Behind, From Classrooms to Careers ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 17 - Joe Mullaney (1949-50)
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 17 - Joe Mullaney (1949-50) The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover. And for today's article, we will continue with the sixth of 11 people to wear the No. 17 jersey, Boston guard alum Joe Mullaney. After ending his college career at Holy Cross, Mullaney was picked up with the 27th overall selection of the 1949 BAA draft by the Celtics. The Long Island, New York native played his sole season in the league with Boston, a tenure of just 37 games. During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Mullaney wore only jersey No. 17 and put up 1.4 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference. Listen to the "Celtics Lab" podcast on: Apple Podcasts: Spotify:
