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Books: Barbara Browning’s The Miniaturists Contains Tiny Multitudes

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

The Miniaturists, a book by the scholar, novelist, and multimedia artist Barbara Browning, orbits tiny things and the people who study or make them — from the forensic dollhouses of Frances Glessner Lee to the termite studies of William Morton Wheeler to the miniature literary creations of Jonathan Swift and Lewis Carroll. About the size of a hand-sewn face mask, the book marries academic rigor and a highly individuated sense of playful intelligence. Even though The Miniaturists is not a “fictocritical” novel — a term for works that smudge the boundaries between fiction, critical theory, and autobiography — or a transdisciplinary project on the scale of her earlier novels, such as I’m Trying to Reach You or The Gift, it is continuous with those works in its exploration of queerness and interpersonal intimacies.In The Gift, Browning’s breakout, semi-autobiographical novel, the narrator speculates that queer writing is less about mapping “non-normative sex acts or the people who engag...

The nearly 500 Californians killed in the 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster might finally get a memorial

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

Phillip Cesena transferred to San Franciscquito Canyon in February 1928 to work as a ranch hand, mucking out stalls and exercising ranch animals.Phillip Cesena, 15, showing off his trick riding he learned while working on a ranch in San Francisquito Canyon in early March 1928. (historical photo courtesy of Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel) The 15-year-old had just lost his father, Leonardo, and wanted to support his mother, Erolinda, and his 12 brothers and sisters by learning how to break horses and perform trick riding for Hollywood westerns.A month later, Cesena’s fate was sealed.The St. Francis Dam burst, sending 12.6 billion gallons of water 15 stories high racing through Santa Clarita, Saugus, Saticoy, Piru, Fillmore and Santa Paula.The water wiped out villages and killed about 450 people before reaching the ocean near Oxnard some 54 miles away.Cesena is buried in an unmarked grave near the dam site, next to his mother.Like so many others who perished when the dam collapsed on Ma...

Melo’s Pizza owners open new Italian restaurant in Walnut Creek

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

The doors of a new Italian eatery offering pizza, pasta, cocktails and more in Walnut Creek are now open.Melo’s Italian Table, by the same family business that operates four Melo’s Pizza and Pasta locations in Pleasant Hill, Brentwood, Livermore and Danville, officially opened Sept. 18.Founder Gaetano Piccolo hails from the Calabria region of southern Italy, where he was born and lived until he was 6 years old, when his family immigrated to the U.S. His family was always in the restaurant business, he explains. He and his brother, Carmelo, opened their first Melo’s Pizza and Pasta location in Pleasant Hill in 1971, and Piccolo took on the business a decade later, expanding it to what is now four additional locations.The new Walnut Creek restaurant, located at 1360 Locust St., offers a full bar with Italian craft cocktails, plus a selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, white and red sauce-based pizzas, pastas and desserts.Melo’s Italian Table takes over ...

How 49ers fans in the Bay Area can watch tonight’s game on TV

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

For most Thursday Night Football games this season, Bay Area NFL fans will need Amazon Prime in order to stream the game.But with the 49ers set to host the New York Giants, tonight’s game will be on regular television, too.In the San Francisco television market, KTVU (FOX, Ch. 2) will simulcast the 49ers’ home opener, with coverage starting on the network at 5 p.m. and kickoff set for 5:15 p.m.KTVU won’t show Amazon’s pregame coverage but will have a postgame show. Fans looking for a pregame show can turn to NBC Sports Bay Area, which will broadcast its weekly “49ers Pregame” show from 4-5 p.m.NBC Sports Bay Area’s usual “49ers Postgame” show will be televised live on NBC Sports Bay Area Plus after the game because the Giants-Dodgers game will be airing on the main channel. The “49ers Postgame” show replayed on the main channel after Giants coverage ends.The game against the New York Giants will be the first of two Thursday games for the 49ers this season. The next one will ta...

Larry Magid: Apple’s new iOS 17 increases safeguards for children and teens

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

Although it may not get as much attention as the shiny new iPhones or some of the other features in the newly released iOS 17, Apple’s operating system update has some important safety features for children, teens and parents, including content created for Apple by ConnectSafely. I serve as CEO of ConnectSafely, which was contracted and compensated by Apple to write online safety content displayed on iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches.Related ArticlesBusiness | Magid: Apple unveils new iPhones, ditches Lightning connector Business | Magid: Cleaning up your internet browser Business | Magid: Managing privacy on Facebook Business | Magid: Google simplifies controlling information about you Communications safety featureWith this new version, Apple’s Communication Safety feature, which warns children when receiving videos or images that contain nudity, is expanding. The feature will be added to FaceTime video messages, ...

No. 4 Florida State looks to end Clemson’s streak, ACC title chances

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

No. 4 Florida State (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Clemson (2-1, 0-1), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ABC)Line: Florida State by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Florida State leads 20-15. WHAT’S AT STAKE?Florida State puts its early hopes of an ACC title and College Football Playoff berth on the line at Clemson. The Tigers, who began the year ranked ninth, were preseason favorites to take their eighth ACC crown in the past nine seasons. They can revive those hopes with their eighth straight victory over the Seminoles. KEY MATCHUPFlorida State QB Jordan Travis vs. Clemson’s defensive front. Travis threw a scare into Seminole fans when he took a hard hit and missed a couple of series in a 31-29 win at Boston College last week. But Florida State coach Mike Norvell said he’s not worried about Travis’ health going forward. Clemson front four will look to make thins uncomfortable for Travis and his offensive teammates with talent and experience led ...

Zelenskyy makes his case at the US Capitol for more war aid as some Republican support softens

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a whirlwind return visit to Washington on Thursday to shore up U.S. support for Ukraine, this time facing some Republicans who are now questioning the flow of American dollars that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces. Zelenskyy, in long-sleeve olive drab, came to the Capitol to talk privately with Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate at a time that the world is watching Western support for Kyiv. He will also meet with President Joe Biden at the White House and will speak with U.S. military leaders at the Pentagon.House Republican leaders promised tough questions for Zelenskyy on how he plans to win Ukraine’s counteroffensive against invading Russian forces. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans notably chose not to join in greeting the Ukrainian president before the cameras, leaving House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to escort Zelenskyy into the ...

A potential tropical system is headed toward North Carolina; Hurricane Nigel remains at sea

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Nigel was moving quickly northeastward over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday as a Category 1 storm, and at the same time a potential tropical cyclone appeared to be forming off the southeastern coast of the United States.Nigel was centered about 505 miles (815 kilometers) southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, the National Hurricane Center said. It had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) and was moving northeast at 30 mph (48 kph).Forecasters expected Nigel would weaken over the next couple of days. It could become a post-tropical cyclone on Thursday night or early Friday.Meanwhile, forecasters issued an advisory for Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen. The disturbance was centered 370 miles (595 kilometers) southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. Maximum sustained winds were 35 mph (55 kph) and the system was moving north at 9 mph (15 kph).A tropical storm warning has been issued from Cape Fear, North Carolina, to Fenwick Island, Delaw...

Bulgaria expels a Russian and 2 Belarusian clerics accused of spying for Moscow

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria is expelling one Russian and two Belarusian nationals for carrying out activities against Bulgaria’s national security and interests, authorities said on Thursday.The country’s agency for national security said in a press release that the three had worked to “purposefully influence the social and political processes in Bulgaria in favor of Russian geopolitical interests.” It added that the three have been stripped of the right of residence and barred from entering Bulgaria for a period of five years. The statement did not elaborate and provided only initials of the three.The Russian Embassy in Sofia reacted angrily in a Facebook post to the expulsions, calling the move a “rude, blatant action by Bulgarian authorities.” It sad the three expelled were members of the clergy — the prior of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia, Archimandrite Vassian, and two ministers of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra.“We are indignant at the fact and format of t...

No. 1 Georgia heavy favorites against UAB despite several injuries on offense

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 GMT

UAB (1-2) at No. 1 Georgia (3-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)Line: Georgia by 41 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Georgia leads 3-0.WHAT’S AT STAKE?After rallying from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat South Carolina 24-14 in their Southeastern Conference opener last week, the Bulldogs are big favorites against the Blazers from the American Athletic Conference. Georgia will be looking to gain momentum before beginning a stretch of seven straight SEC games next week at Auburn. Georgia has allowed only 24 points in three games but its offense, led by quarterback Carson Beck, needs a strong showing after a slow start last week. The Blazers, one of the nation’s top passing teams under first-year coach Trent Dilfer, will need a major upset in their first game against a No. 1 team.KEY MATCHUPUAB nickel back Keondre Swoopes vs. Georgia’s WRs. Swoopes, a senior, had a pick 6 for the Blazers’ only touchdown in their 56-7 loss at Georgia in 2021. Swo...