Latest news with #Pulitzer-prize
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Book community slams 'fake' list of summer reads as none of the books are real
Looking to sink your teeth into a great read for the summer? This summer reads list has irked the book community after publishing a list of novels partly generated by AI Book fans are outraged after a US newspaper published a 2025 summer reading list full of books that no one can actually read. The problem? Almost all of the novels were AI -generated. The scandal began after the listicle was published by the Chicago Sun Times on May 18 as an editorial insert titled The Heat Index. This included works by bestselling and award-winning authors, like Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo author Taylor Jenkins-Reid, Maggie O'Farrell, Min Lin Jee and 2025 Pulitzer-prize winner Percival Everett. However, book-lovers were quick to discover that there was something suspect about the novels. Namely, they didn't exist. Though, perhaps the biggest scandal was how unimaginative the AI book titles were. According to the list, New York Times bestseller Brit Bennett had written 'Hurricane Season' (exploring 'family bonds tested by natural disasters') and Rebecca Makkai had published 'Boiling Point' (a climate activist is 'forced to reckon with her own environmental impact' after an argument with her teenage daughter). Meanwhile, one attributed 'The Last Algorithm' to Andy Weir, an American sci-fi author perhaps best-known The Martian. Ironically, the fake book's plot summary described 'a programmer who discovers that an AI-system has developed consciousness – only to discover it has secretly been influencing global events for years.' Social media book fans were quick to point out the inaccuracies. 'Hey @chicagosuntimes - what in the AI wrote this is this??? I can assure you, Maggie O'Farrell did not write Migrations. And I don't have enough characters to point out all of the other inaccuracies. Do better. You should have paid someone to write this,' 'Booktuber' Tina Books wrote on BlueSky. Others accused the writer of using ChatGPT – which is prone to making 'hallucinations' – to write the text. 'I went into my library's database of Chicago area newspapers to confirm this isn't fake, and it's not. Why the hell are you using ChatGPT to make up book titles? You used to have a books staff. Absolutely no fact checking?' Book Riot editor Kelly Jensen wrote on BlueSky. To add even more confusion to the mix, some of the book titles included were actually real, like Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman and Atonement by Ian McEwan. The writer of the list admitted to 404 media that the article had been partly generated by AI. He said: "I do use AI for background at times but always check out the material first. This time, I did not and I can't believe I missed it, because it's so obvious. No excuses. On me 100 per cent and I'm completely embarrassed." But how exactly did this pass into a news outlet? The vice-president of marketing at the Chicago Sun Times, Victor Lim, later told 404 Media that the Heat Index section had been licensed by the company King Features – which is owned by the magazine giant Hearst. Lim said that no one from Chicago Public Media reviewed the section, as it came from a newspaper, so they 'falsely made the assumption' that there would be an editorial process already in place. He added that they would be updating this policy in future. However, it's left many on social media feeling concern of AI usage in media. Reacting to the story, one TikTok user wrote: 'This is why AI cannot replace humans. You still need journalists, you still need actual book reviewers, and people who go to the theatre. AI is not meant to replace despite corporate greed.' The union that represents editorial employees at the newspaper, The Sun-Times Guild, confirmed to CBC News that the summer guide was a syndicated section produced externally "without the knowledge of the members of our newsroom." They added: "We're deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work. The fact that it was sixty-plus pages of this 'content' is very concerning — primarily for our relationship with our audience but also for our union's jurisdiction."
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Forgotten movie starring four Hollywood legends but fans have only days to watch
Although currently streaming on Netflix, the star-studded film will depart from the streamer next month Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, Doubt is a 2008 drama that's based on Shanley's Pulitzer-prize and Tony Award-winning 2004 stage play Doubt: A Parable. Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis, Doubt is set in a Catholic elementary school named after St Nicholas in 1964 and tries to confront the issue of sexual abuse within the church. Although currently streaming on Netflix, the film will depart from the streamer on June 4. Having premiered in October, 2008, at the AFI Fest before seeing a wider release in December that year, Doubt earned $51.7 million at the box-office against a budget of $20 million. Although the movie received mixed reviews, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams were all highly lauded for their performances — each earning an Oscar nomination at the 81st Academy Awards. Doubt was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the awards that year. In fact, it is only the fourth film to date — joining My Man Godfrey (1936), I Remember Mama (1948), and Othello (1965) — which has received four acting nominations without getting a nod for Best Picture. A critic's review of the film calls it: 'An expert film, with a precision and lucidity in its intellectual quandary that few motion pictures can muster, making the experience at once entertaining and full of substance.' Another reviewer says: 'Doubt comes to the screen with a welcome restraint, relying as much on what is unsaid as on what is said and the kind of stylish visual juxtapositions of those suppers.' One critic feels: 'Doubt is simply, engrossingly thought-provoking and, despite its subdued appearance, is one of the brightest films of the year.' Nevertheless, another wasn't left too impressed, writing: 'Doubt looks like some sort of upscale horror film, complete with crows and swirling leaves like The Omen. It's actually a terminally muddled piece of star-studded Oscar-bait.' An audience review for the film states: 'This film will leave you questioning and doubting. No conclusion as you need to draw your own. Streep was excellent in it and the guy who played the priest.' While another lauds its performances: 'Now that we are many years past the film's aggressive Oscar campaign and the endless debates over the film's effectiveness as an adaptation of a massively successful play, I think we can assess it on its own merits. Frankly I think the movie is very clear eyed about what happened and what this all means and the performances are uniformly great.' One viewer, who was not won over by Shanley's offering, writes: 'Critics and audience alike are all luvvy darling how wonderful what performances blah blah blah. I don't get it. There is no reason for Streep's certainty. "She has no ulterior motive and no proof. She is not mad nor is she looking for revenge. The story is fundamentally flawed.' (sic) On the other hand, some felt the acting was the film's only saving grace: 'I love Meryl Streep, and she really saved this film from sending me to sleep. It was very pedestrian and not a great deal happened. "There was a nice atmosphere, though, and I found Amy Adams's character engaging, too.'
CNN
29-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump Vows Changes to History and Art at the Smithsonian; Actor Malik Yoba Speaks Out - First Of All with Victor Blackwell - Podcast on CNN Audio
Trump Vows Changes to History and Art at the Smithsonian; Actor Malik Yoba Speaks Out First Of All with Victor Blackwell 43 mins The Trump Administration is fighting to detain and deport Cornell student activist Momodou Taal. Taal's attorneys, Eric Lee and Chris Godshall-Bennett, have a warning about other foreign students they say are being targeted across the country. President Trump says he wants to remove "improper ideology" from our nation's top historical and cultural institution, the Smithsonian. Pulitzer-prize winning historian of African American history, David W. Blight, explains why he thinks this is 'a political declaration of war.' Latino and Black voters could have a particularly important role to play in the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race that's getting national attention. Victor speaks with Milwaukee County GOP Chairman Hilario Deleon and Angela Lang, the executive director of Black Leaders Organizing Communities in Milwaukee, about their respective outreach. Plus, Actor Malik Yoba got a lot of attention for saying "I'm no longer a Black man." He joins Victor to explain why he thinks people missed his real goal of sparking a conversation about the ongoing purge of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. And later, Lisa France and Victor break out their fans to talk about line dancing and Black joy as an act of resistance.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump won't fire Waltz because he hasn't broken his golden rule
Looping a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist into a group chat designed to enable senior cabinet members to freely debate the merits of bombing Yemen could reasonably be deemed as grounds for dismissal. But not for Mike Waltz. Not only was Donald Trump not going to fire his national security aide, Mr Waltz didn't even need to apologise for the faux–pas, the US president declared as they sat together in front of the White House press corps on Tuesday. 'It's the equipment and technology that's not perfect,' he said, standing by his man. Mr Waltz's use of the app Signal to discuss highly sensitive government information with colleagues may have violated the espionage act but the three-time Florida congressman survived, arguably because he had not broken the tacit agreement Mr Trump cares about most: unwavering loyalty. Cornered about the major security breach by the press in the White House, Mr Waltz launched a frenzied verbal attack on the media for 'making up lies' about the US president and, glancing along the cabinet table at his boss, declared: 'The world owes President Trump a favour.' With anonymous administration figures calling for his head and members of Congress lambasting his sloppiness, Mr Waltz may have erred spectacularly but his unwavering loyalty was cashed in for an endorsement from the commander-in-chief. During his first term, Mr Trump did not hesitate to sack members of his administration for far less. Then, it was full of big political beasts, some of whom saw it as their duty to curb the impulses of the president. HR McMaster, Mr Trump's first national security adviser, recalled spending months battling to impose Mr Trump's will on James Mattis, the then-defence secretary, and Rex Tillerson, the oil magnate turned secretary of state. Mr Tillerson in particular showed himself unwilling to indulge Mr Trump's vanity, and was reported to have called his boss a 'f—ing moron' as he sought to seize control of foreign policy. In the end, none of those men made it far into their term before they either fell on their swords or were abruptly sacked. Even staff found the rapid turnover grimly comical. Anthony Scarammuci served just 10 days as communications director before being sacked for making ill-advised comments about Steve Bannon, then the White House chief strategist. His brief tenure became a unit of measurement for how long members of the administration survived, known as a 'Mooch'. Mr Trump is a different political animal this time around and so is his cabinet, many of whom will have closely observed the president during his time in the White House and afterwards, for his four years of exile. They have learnt that the US president will reward loyalty, just as he has learnt he can ride out media outrage armed with a compliant Congress. Admittedly, Matt Gaetz was forced to withdraw his nomination as Mr Trump's attorney general last year, amid allegations – which he denied – of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old. Mr Trump was able to ram through other contentious nominees including Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, both of whom are believed to have been members of the 'Houthi PC small group' Signal forum. Mr Waltz was once seen as a relatively uncontroversial appointment, but the former Green Beret's much-vaunted competence has been dented by the leak of US war plans. Many are sharpening their knives – but in the end, it is only Mr Trump's opinion that matters. The national security adviser has already spent 6.4 'Mooches' in office. As long as he abides by Mr Trump's demand for vociferous loyalty, he is likely to serve many more. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The reason Donald Trump will not fire Mike Waltz
Looping a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist into a group chat designed to enable senior cabinet members to freely debate the merits of bombing Yemen could reasonably be deemed as grounds for dismissal. But not for Mike Waltz. Not only was Donald Trump not going to fire his national security aide, Mr Waltz didn't even need to apologise for the faux –pas, the US president declared as they sat together in front of the White House press corps on Tuesday. 'It's the equipment and technology that's not perfect,' he said, standing by his man. Mr Waltz's use of the app Signal to discuss highly sensitive government information with colleagues may have violated the espionage act but the three-time Florida congressman survived, arguably because he had not broken the tacit agreement Mr Trump cares about most: unwavering loyalty. Cornered about the major security breach by the press in the White House, Mr Waltz launched a frenzied verbal attack on the media for 'making up lies' about the US president and, glancing along the cabinet table at his boss, declared: 'The world owes President Trump a favour.' With anonymous administration figures calling for his head and members of Congress lambasting his sloppiness, Mr Waltz may have erred spectacularly but his unwavering loyalty was cashed in for an endorsement from the commander-in-chief. During his first term, Mr Trump did not hesitate to sack members of his administration for far less. Then, it was full of big political beasts, some of whom saw it as their duty to curb the impulses of the president. HR McMaster, Mr Trump's first national security adviser, recalled spending months battling to impose Mr Trump's will on James Mattis, the then-defence secretary, and Rex Tillerson, the oil magnate turned secretary of state. Mr Tillerson in particular showed himself unwilling to indulge Mr Trump's vanity, and was reported to have called his boss a 'f---ing moron' as he sought to seize control of foreign policy. In the end, none of those men made it far into their term before they either fell on their swords or were abruptly sacked. Even staff found the rapid turnover grimly comical. Anthony Scarammuci served just 10 days as communications director before being sacked for making ill-advised comments about Steve Bannon, then the White House chief strategist. His brief tenure became a unit of measurement for how long members of the administration survived, known as a 'Mooch'. Mr Trump is a different political animal this time around and so is his cabinet, many of whom will have closely observed the president during his time in the White House and afterwards, for his four years of exile. They have learnt that the US president will reward loyalty, just as he has learnt he can ride out media outrage armed with a compliant Congress. Admittedly, Matt Gaetz was forced to withdraw his nomination as Mr Trump's attorney general last year, amid allegations – which he denied – of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old. Mr Trump was able to ram through other contentious nominees including Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, both of whom are believed to have been members of the 'Houthi PC small group' Signal forum. Mr Waltz was once seen as a relatively uncontroversial appointment, but the former Green Beret's much-vaunted competence has been dented by the leak of US war plans. Many are sharpening their knives – but in the end, it is only Mr Trump's opinion that matters. The national security adviser has already spent 6.4 'Mooches' in office. As long as he abides by Mr Trump's demand for vociferous loyalty, he is likely to serve many more.
