Welcome to Malory Towers, where there's more to life than lessons! Winter Term. This term the fourth-formers are busy planning for the school Christmas concert, but that doesn't stop them plotting tricks too! Susan is supposed to be in charge of the play but bossy Sylvia wants to take over and new teacher Miss Tallant seems surprisingly knowledgeable about all of their plans. Could there be a spy in their midst? Fun and Games. It's competition time at Malory Towers and this term there's a tennis tournament and a music prize to be won! Tensions are running high, with games captain June and orchestra leader Millicent willing to do anything to succeed. But the girls have more to worry about when belongings start disappearing from dorms ...

Winter Term & Fun and Games

The Civil War still echoes in the South, forcing towns to take sides, how to spot and help someone who is thinking about committing suicide, and what to do on your first day of a cruise.
****This piece discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

This Weekend with Gordon Deal September 28, 2024

Helene makes landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, New York City Mayor Eric Adams charged with corruption offenses, and the hottest (and sweatiest) place to find a date.

This Morning with Gordon Deal September 27, 2024

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast, where we explore financial services together with an eye on technology, innovation, emerging models, and changing expectations. I’m Tearsheet’s editor in chief, Zack Miller.

Today, we’re joined by Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Financial Services, at Microsoft, and Suzanne Dann, CEO for the Americas at Wipro. Together, they discuss their collaboration on leveraging Azure OpenAI to enhance generative AI in finance. This partnership focuses on improving customer experiences, streamlining processes, and ensuring responsible AI practices in the financial industry.

As Suzanne puts it, “My role is to help clients digitally transform by bringing together the right industry expertise, technology, and integration experience.” Bill adds, “Our goal at Microsoft is to build products and services that truly meet the unique needs of financial institutions.”

We’ll explore how cognitive assistants, powered by generative AI, are reshaping customer interactions, loan origination, and even the broker experience, all while maintaining a focus on security, reliability, and expanding AI access across the sector.

How Microsoft and Wipro are elevating finserv with responsible AI and cognitive assistants

Karissa Waddick from USA Today explains why a certain voting bloc feels unseen.

Overlooked and disengaged: How Gen Z’s blue-collar bloc could shape the 2024 election

Is it a good idea to buy a home with friends? Dalvin Brown from the Wall Street Journal takes us behind the headline.

They Bought Homes With Their Friends—and Now They Want Out

California is suing ExxonMobil over the oil giant’s alleged “campaign of deception” to convince the public that recycling is a viable solution for plastic waste, when less than 10% of plastics are recycled.
Also, to meet the tremendous energy needs of artificial intelligence Microsoft has inked a major power purchase deal with the owners of Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, where a nuclear power reactor underwent a partial meltdown in 1979. Its unaffected twin reactor operated until 2019 and could provide a carbon-free source of power for AI, if it can get past the hurdles of getting the plant back online. 
And for students and scientists who are transgender or gender nonconforming, field research can bring unique challenges and risks. How institutions can help ensure field research settings are safer and more inclusive of trans people.
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What issues are you most interested in having Living on Earth cover in the 2024 election season? Let us know by sending us a written or audio message at comments@loe.org.

Exxon's Alleged Plastics ‘Deception,’ Risks for Transgender Field Scientists and more.

Ukraine’s president is again on American shores, trying to secure support of all kinds. He <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2024/09/26/ukraine-is-on-the-defensive-militarily-economically-and-diplomatically?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">needs it</a>—diplomatically, militarily and politically. America’s tendencies toward “woke” discourse and policies have permeated its politics, but our analysis finds that “peak woke” is already <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/09/19/after-peak-woke-what-next?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in the past</a> (8:57). And the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2024/09/19/how-fifa-was-outplayed-by-electronic-arts?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">latest instalment</a> of the wildly popular football video-game formerly known as simply “FIFA” (17:13). Get a world of insights by <a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribing to Economist Podcasts+</a>. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Missile-stop tour: Zelensky in America

Over the past decade <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/09/19/after-peak-woke-what-next?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=checksandbalance&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a form of wokeness</a> arose on the illiberal left, characterised by extreme pessimism about America and its capacity to make progress. <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2024/09/19/america-is-becoming-less-woke%20?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=checksandbalance&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Analysis by The Economist</a> of how influential these ideas are today finds that wokeness peaked in 2021-22 and has since receded. Why is America becoming less “woke”?&nbsp; John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Ainslie Johnstone and Sacha Nauta, and Professor Musa al-Gharbi of Stony Brook University. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via <a href="http://economist.com/podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/podcasts</a> &nbsp;Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcast-vt-3?utm_campaign=a.23acq_podcast&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence-checksandbalance-moneytalks-drumtower-babbage-editorspicks-worldinbrief-bossclass&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous.dr_nativereads_nonotebook-50offpodplus_sub&utm_term=sa.listeners&check=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a>.&nbsp;For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcast-vt-3?utm_campaign=a.23acq_podcast&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence-checksandbalance-moneytalks-drumtower-babbage-editorspicks-worldinbrief-bossclass&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous.dr_nativereads_nonotebook-50offpodplus_sub&utm_term=sa.listeners&check=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://fcxpre.economist.com/s/article/How-can-I-listen-to-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video </a>explaining how to link your account. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Woke croaks: “peak woke” has passed

To listen every week and enjoy all our podcasts you'll need a subscription to Economist Podcasts Plus. Follow the link in the show notes for a free trial To hear more about Ukraine, join our live event on October 25th. Our editors will discuss the situation on the battlefield, the impact of the American election and the diplomacy in the background. To sign up, go to: <a href="http://economist.com/registertoday" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/registertoday</a> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The Weekend Intelligence: Crunchtime for Ukraine

From the bestselling author of The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods comes a thrilling fantasy about three unlikely allies bound together in a deadly, magical competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk, and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.

BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.

GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.

PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know where he belongs.

A trickster, a prince, and a wild huntress—all in pursuit of the Champion’s prize. If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But nothing is guaranteed. After all, all are fair game in love and the Hunt.

Set in the same world as The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—The Wild Huntress will have listeners hooked from the very first minute.

The Wild Huntress By Emily Lloyd-Jones Read By Moira Quirk

Bolinda, audio publisher of elite literary and commercial talent, is the No. 1 audiobook publisher in the British Commonwealth. For more than 25 years it has created the highest quality collection of audiobooks in the world. Bolinda was born in the library and has been supplying libraries with the world’s greatest audiobooks for over 25 years. 

The company is credited worldwide for reinvigorating the audiobook category. Now Bolinda offers libraries the world’s best digital content via BorrowBox – the award-winning digital lending solution.

‘Bolinda values’ are intrinsic to the company’s success, encapsulating commitment to libraries, authors, the user experience, the provision of great literature and the fostering and engaging of communities.

Anywhere. Everywhere.

Winter Term & Fun and Games

Bolinda audio

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