This weekend’s reading is a smorgasbord of subjects that touch upon many of the things that did (and didn’t) happen this week as well as a few of their intersections with technology.
- First of all, ProfHacker would like to wish a belated happy birthday to Nelson Mandela, who celebrated his 95th birthday yesterday. The United Nations celebrated the former South African President’s birthday as well, declaring July 18 “Nelson Mandela Day.” Mandela remains hospitalized due to a recurring lung infection.
- Also on July 18, nominations for the 2013 Emmy Awards were announced. While most media reporters lead with the multiple nominations for the Netflix original series, House of Cards, as a literary Modernist, I was particularly excited to see Benedict Cumberbatch nominated in the Outstanding Actor in Miniseries or Movie for his work in Parade’s End.
- In other popular media news, this week, it was revealed that J. K. Rowling had published a crime novel, Cuckoo Calling, under the name Robert Galbraith. The book had gotten good reviews and modest sales before Rowling’s connection was uncovered, but once she was named as author, sales sky-rocketed. This piece in The Guardian argues that the “ruse” is an indictment of the publishing industry. Also announced this week, Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half book will be published on October 29, 2013.
- The Tour de France continued this week. This piece on the BBC webpage explains, “The Technology Behind the Tour.”
- And speaking of technology, CNET writer John Lowensohn published “I tested a bunch of gadgets on my vacation so you don’t have to,” which reviews noise-cancelling headphones, external battery packs like the Romoss 10400mAh Rechargeable Portable Charger, and perennial ProfHacker favorite, the Fitbit.
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