Postcards serve as powerful cultural artifacts, preserving the essence of diverse traditions and landscapes. Their evolution from simple communication tools to vibrant cultural touchstones is remarkable. Hawaiian postcards stand out, offering a vivid glimpse into the region’s rich heritage and artistic legacy.
Throughout history, postcards have captured the imagination of people worldwide, serving as tangible expressions of culture and art. Hawaii paintings postcards play a unique role in this narrative, encapsulating the beauty and spirit of Hawaiian heritage for a global audience. These postcards not only preserve cultural imagery but also provide a bridge between tradition and modern artistic practices. As you explore their significance, you’ll discover how these small yet powerful pieces of art continue to make an impact on both local communities and international admirers.
The historical evolution of postcards in art
The transformation of postcards from mere utilitarian objects into meaningful cultural artifacts reflects a broader shift in how art is perceived and shared. Originally designed for brief communications, postcards began to incorporate vibrant imagery and artistic designs over time. This evolution coincided with advancements in printing technology, allowing artists to reproduce their works affordably and widely.
By the early 20th century, postcards had become a popular medium for artists to showcase their creativity while reaching diverse audiences. The ability to convey complex themes through a compact format made them attractive to collectors and enthusiasts alike. As this trend grew, postcards were increasingly recognized not just as souvenirs but as valuable pieces of art that told stories about the places they depicted.
In this context, Hawaii emerged as a particularly rich subject for postcard artistry. The islands’ natural beauty and unique culture offered artists endless inspiration. Consequently, Hawaiian-themed postcards became cherished keepsakes for travelers and collectors worldwide, further cementing their place in the history of art.
Hawaiian postcards as a window to tradition
Hawaiian postcards serve as visual storytellers, capturing the essence of the islands’ vibrant culture and traditions. These small pieces of art often depict iconic landscapes such as lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and volcanic mountains. Beyond landscapes, they highlight significant cultural motifs like hula dancers, traditional festivals, and native wildlife.
For many artists, creating these postcards involves drawing from deeply rooted cultural symbols that resonate with both locals and visitors. The intricate designs reflect a respect for heritage while embracing contemporary artistic techniques. As a result, Hawaiian postcards are not only visually striking but also culturally significant.
These artworks offer a glimpse into Hawaii’s past while celebrating its present. They bridge generations by preserving stories that might otherwise fade away. By capturing moments in time through artistic expression, Hawaiian postcards continue to be cherished by those who appreciate the beauty of tradition intertwined with modernity.
Global impact and reach of Hawaii postcards
The global appeal of Hawaiian postcards lies in their ability to convey universal themes through localized imagery. These postcards have traveled far beyond the islands’ shores, reaching audiences worldwide who seek an authentic connection with Hawaiian culture.
Their widespread distribution has been facilitated by tourism and collector networks that value both aesthetic quality and cultural authenticity. As travelers take these mementos home or share them with friends abroad, they spread awareness about Hawaii’s unique heritage while fostering cross-cultural appreciation.
Artists contribute significantly to this global dialogue by infusing their work with personal interpretations of Hawaiian themes. By doing so, they ensure that each postcard is not only a snapshot of paradise but also an invitation to explore deeper cultural narratives. For those interested in contemporary interpretations, Nataliia Rasina offers a unique perspective that enriches the ongoing conversation about Hawaiian art.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on August 29, 2025:
Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend
One year after the breakthrough success of Short n’ Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter has returned withMan’s Best Friend. Produced by Jack Antonoff’, the record was led by the single ‘Manchild’, an early contender for Song of the Summer. “The album is not for any pearl clutchers,” Carpenter told CBS Mornings of the project. “But I also think that even pearl clutchers can listen to an album like that in their own solitude and find something that makes them smirk and chuckle to themselves.” It’s not so much the lyrics themselves that might cause such a reaction, but the elegant ballads they’re often packaged in; on the swooning ‘We Almost Broke Up Again’, for example, she sings, “Gave him his whole heart, and I gave him head.” She’s never sounded more relaxed in her comedic chops.
Dev Hynes has released Essex Honey, the first Blood Orange album in seven years. Revolving around his childhood growing up outside of the Essex region in England, it’s billed as a “soundtrack created from a dreamscape of his journey working through grief.” It’s also a perfectly hazy, gorgeous, and evocative album to get lost in, especially at the end of summer. Previewed by the singles ‘Mind Loaded’, ‘Somewhere In Between’, ‘The Field’, and ‘Countryside’, the record features contributions from Lorde, Caroline Polachek, Daniel Caesar, Mustafa, Liam Benzvi, Turnstile’s Brendan Yates, Wet’s Kelly Zutrau, Tariq Al-Sabir, author Zadie Smith, actors Naomi Scott and Amandala Stenberg, and more.
Linear progression is generally a myth, yet one often projected onto artists, who must continually level up their sound without straying from their original vision. The Beths have indeed tightened, coloured, and expanded their approach since their 2018 breakout Future Me Hates Me, and while they’re not quite making a statement about their own trajectory with Straight Line Was a Lie, their fourth album, the titular realization extends to the way they handle both lyrics and instrumentation: careening between the immediacy, anxiety, and tenderness of their previous albums, but leaving space for different shades of weariness and anhedonia, a void that doesn’t dull so much as activate a new side of New Zealand quartet’s sound. Read the full review.
Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
Earlier this summer, Hayley Williams of Paramore put out an album’s worth of songs on a password-protected website, then officially released them as 17 separate singles. Now, these songs have been packaged into an album called Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, with a bonus track, ‘Parachute’, tucked at the end of the tracklist. Williams and Daniel James wrote, played, and recorded most instruments on the record, with assistance from longtime collaborators Brian Robert Jones and Joey Howard. Physical releases will follow on November.
Irish songwriter Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson has released her latest album as CMAT, the audacious, witty, and soulful EURO-COUNTRY. In press materials, she described the follow-up to Crazymad, For Me as, “I think, the best thing I have ever made. I felt halfway through recording it was the most important record I’ve made for myself… mainly because it was making me go crazy.” Thompson added: “I’m always going to make the work I want to make, because there is a little gremlin in my head that tells me if it’s shit. More than success, there’s a bigger gremlin that wants me to make music that’s really good. She’s brutal and has ruined my life at times, but she is the keeper of my life and she’s always right.”
Matthew Berry, who has been a member of Happy Diving and Big Bite as well as Hotline TNT’s live band, has released his self-titled album as The Berries. Co-produced by Jimmy Dixon, The Berries features contributions from Narrow Head’s Kora Puckett, studio drummer Bryan De Leon (The Drums, Ethel Cain), Color Green’s Corey Madden, and poet/musician Julia Lans Nowak. “This record came out of a need to break from my old self, to break from a lifestyle that I could no longer bear waking up to everyday,” Berry explained. “It’s equally fueled by remorse and relief — I can rejoice a bit in having found a renewed purpose, but I had to finally stare down everything that was standing in the way of that sense of dignity first.”
Margo Price, Hard Headed Woman; Ganser, Animal Hospital; Runnner, A Welcome Kind of Weakness; The Beaches, No Hard Feelings; The Hives, The Hives Forever Forever the Hives; Lathe of Heaven, Aurora; Erykah Badu & The Alchemist, Abi & Alan; Google Earth, Mac OS X 10.11; Nova Twins, Parasites & Butterflies; End It, Wrong Side of Heaven; Jehnny Beth, You Heartbreaker You; Zach Top, Ain’t in It for My Health; Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin, Ghosted III; Belinda Carlisle, Once Upon A Time in California; Pinkshift, Earthkeeper; Pearly Drops, The Voices Are Coming Back; Slow Crush, Thirst; Shannon, Krgovich, Tenniscoats, Wao; Eiko Ishibashi & Jim O’Rourke, Pareidolia; Tim Carr, Pleasure Drives; quinnie, paper doll; The Technicolors, Heavy Pulp; Modern Nature, The Heat Warps; myah, i don’t know what i’m feeling; Christian Wallumrod, Percolation.
Alabama Shakes have returned with their first new song in a decade. ‘Another Life’, which marks the rock band’s first original track since 2015’s Sound & Color – as well as their debut for new label home Island – is moving and gracefully arranged. Check it out below.
“When I wrote ‘Another Life,’ I was thinking about all the lives we carry,” vocalist and guitarist Brittany Howard said in a statement. “The ones we’re living right now, the ones that slipped away because of different choices, the what ifs, the what wasn’t meant to be, the goodbyes, and the chance encounters that feel divine. This song is about those threads and how they stretch across time and space, connecting every version of who we are. It’s about letting them come together, letting them harmonize, and realizing that goodbye isn’t really goodbye. It’s more like I’ll see you later. A collective story that never stops unfolding. I’m glad we opened this door into this reality of us making music together again.”
Bon Jovi have announced Forever (Legendary Edition), a collaborative edition of last year’s Forever. Set for release on October 24, it features Jelly Roll, Avril Lavigne, Robbie Williams, Lainey Wilson, Ryan Tedder, the War & Treaty, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, and more. Today, they’ve released the Bruce Springsteen collab ‘Hollow Man’, as well as a new Bon Jovi track with no guest feature called ‘Red, White and Jersey’. Take a listen below.
“This album is more than just a collection of collaborations, it is an album borne out of necessity,” Bon Jovi said in a ;press release. “My vocal cord surgery and subsequent rehab was a well-documented journey that played out while releasing Forever in June 2024. I was singing well enough in the studio for the recording, but the vocal demands and rigors of touring were still out of reach for me. Without the ability to tour or promote an album we were all very proud of, I decided to call on some friends to help me in my time of need. All are great singers, artists, and also just great people. The result is an album with a new viewpoint and new spirit — a collaboration album that proves we all get by in this world with a little help from our friends. I feel tremendous joy and gratitude releasing this album and I think it shows in the music. I can say with certainty that there is always something bigger than ME, and that’s WE.”
Betting calculators have become indispensable companions for punters who want to enjoy their wagers while keeping the numbers clear and manageable. They remove the guesswork, provide clarity on potential returns, and help players stay disciplined with their stakes. Whether you are having a flutter on the weekend football, the horses, or something more niche, understanding how to use the right calculator can turn betting from a stressful puzzle into an organised, enjoyable experience.
Dedicated portals review gambling sites and their online casino bonuses in detail. Players benefit from these websites, as unbiased guides provide clarity on how promotions work and how to make smarter choices when browsing the crowded market. That same principle of simplifying complex offers is what betting calculators deliver to sports fans, particularly on a big matchday where decisions need to be quick, fair, and fun.
The Accumulator Calculator
The accumulator or acca is a favourite among football fans because it offers the promise of a huge payout from a small stake. An acca combines multiple selections into a single bet, and each selection must win for the bet to be successful. Even if you’ve got Manchester United to win a hard-fought match against their rivals and all your other selections come through, one wrong result will sink the entire bet. The high risk comes with high reward.
An acca calculator simplifies this process by automatically working out your potential returns. You simply input the odds for each of your selections and the amount you want to stake. The calculator then does the rest instantly, showing you what you stand to win. This is particularly useful on a busy Saturday afternoon when you’ve got selections from multiple leagues and need to quickly see the potential profit before kick-off. It’s a fast, efficient way to check if your combination is worth the risk.
The Each-Way Calculator
An each-way bet is popular in horse racing, but it’s also a great option in football, especially for markets like first goalscorer. A win bet and a place bet are basically two sides of the same coin in an each-way bet. In a win-place bet, you’re betting on your choice to come in first, whereas in a place-and-finish bet, you’re betting on your choice to finish within a certain range, such as the top three.
Your possible returns in various scenarios can be better understood with the help of an each-way calculator. The odds, amount, and place terms will be supplied by the bookmaker. You will need to provide these details. The calculator will then show you what you’ll win if your selection finishes first and what you’ll get back if it only places. This tool is essential for managing your expectations and understanding your potential profit and loss on a more nuanced level.
Scenario
Win Bet Return
Place Bet Return
Total Return
Your player scores first
Full win return
Full place return
Win + Place
Your player scores second or third
£0
Full place return
Place only
Your player doesn’t score
£0
£0
£0
Understanding the Vig
The commission that bookmakers take on bets is called vig or vigorish. Regardless of the game’s result, it’s how they earn a living. A vig calculator helps you see the margin the bookmaker is taking and whether the odds are fair. A low vig means better value for you.
Here’s how to calculate it yourself.
Convert the odds into their implied probability
Sum the implied probabilities for all possible outcomes
The amount that the sum exceeds 100% is the vig.
For example, if Arsenal are playing Liverpool and the odds are 2.0 for Arsenal to win and 4.0 for Liverpool to win with a 3.5 draw, you can see how much the bookie is charging you. The vig calculator makes this simple and helps you to find the most favourable odds across different bookmakers.
Team/Outcome
Odds
Implied Probability
Arsenal Win
2.0
50.0%
Draw
3.5
28.6%
Liverpool Win
4.0
25.0%
The total implied probability is 50% + 28.6% + 25% = 103.6%. The vig is 3.6%.
The Cash-Out Calculator
Cash out is a feature offered by many bookmakers that allows you to settle your bet before the event has finished. A cash-out calculator helps you decide whether to take the offer or let the bet ride. You enter your original stake, the current odds and the original odds. The calculator will then show you the true value of the bookmaker’s offer.
This tool is invaluable for high-stakes bets or when a match isn’t going as planned. You might see your team leading, but a last-minute injury or a red card makes you nervous. A cash-out calculator lets you see if the offer is a good deal, allowing you to lock in a profit or cut your losses without any emotional impulse. It gives you a clear, objective view of the situation and helps you make a strategic decision when emotions are running high. Together, these tools are the key to a smarter approach to betting.
There is a specific, electric feeling that radiates from 1980s game shows. It’s a potent cocktail of optimistic synth music, buzzing neon lights, and the raw, unscripted excitement of contestants winning big. For a generation, this wasn’t just television; it was a cultural event. But beyond simple nostalgia, the design language of this era—bold, geometric, and unapologetically vibrant—has proven to be remarkably resilient. It has seeped into modern fashion, music, and digital design, proving that the appeal of its high-energy futurism was never just a fleeting trend.
A symphony of neon, chrome, and geometry
The visual identity of the 80s game show was a masterclass in maximalism. It rejected subtlety in favor of a sensory spectacle designed to feel like the future. Stage designs were built from a distinct palette of materials and shapes: gleaming chrome railings, glossy floors reflecting a rainbow of lights, and giant, sculptural set pieces. Everything was framed in glowing neon tubes, outlining logos, contestant pods, and prize displays in electric pinks, blues, and yellows. This visual energy was matched by the games themselves, which were often large, physical contraptions. The tactile appeal of these experiences was undeniable; the flashing lights and satisfying sounds of a physical Plinko game board, for example, created a multisensory thrill that modern digital design still strives to replicate. This wasn’t just a background for the action; the set itself was a character, buzzing with possibility and the promise of fortune.
The key visual components included:
Bold Geometric Shapes: Triangles, grids, and concentric circles were everywhere, from the patterns on the walls to the shapes of the games themselves.
Chunky, Stylized Typography: Fonts were often thick, sometimes with a metallic sheen or a drop shadow, designed to pop off the screen with confidence.
High-Contrast Color Palettes: Deep blacks and blues were used as a canvas for explosions of vibrant, saturated color, creating a dramatic and futuristic look.
The sound of winning: Synth fanfares and digital dreams
Just as crucial as the visuals was the sound design. The 80s game show soundtrack was a digital symphony, composed almost entirely on synthesizers. The theme songs were upbeat, catchy anthems full of driving basslines and sparkling synth melodies that instantly set a tone of excitement. But the soundscape went deeper than just the music.
Every action had a corresponding digital sound effect, creating an immersive and responsive environment. The lonely whir of a spinning wheel, the harsh buzz of a wrong answer, the triumphant, cascading fanfare of a jackpot—these sounds are etched into our collective memory. This sonic palette laid the groundwork for what we now see in video games and user interface design, where auditory feedback is crucial to the user experience. It’s also the direct ancestor of music genres like Synthwave and Vaporwave, which don’t just borrow from these sounds but revere them, building entire emotional landscapes from the electronic optimism of the era.
From kitsch to cultural touchstone: the lasting influence
What was once dismissed as kitsch is now a celebrated aesthetic, a wellspring of inspiration for contemporary creators across various fields. The 80s game show aesthetic managed to perfectly capture a moment of technological optimism and uninhibited fun, and its influence is more pervasive than ever.
80s game show element
Modern cultural manifestation
Neon Grids & Laser Effects
Music videos by artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa; the visual language of the Synthwave genre.
Geometric Patterns & Color Blocking
High-fashion collections and modern streetwear, which often feature bold, graphic designs and vibrant color combinations.
Synth Music & Digital Sound FX
The soundtracks of shows like Stranger Things and the rise of retro-inspired indie video games.
Bold, Confident Typography
Graphic design and branding that aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia, fun, and accessibility.
Ultimately, the enduring legacy of the 80s game show aesthetic lies in its pure, unadulterated celebration of entertainment. It reminds us that design can be joyful, loud, and delightfully excessive. It represents a time when the future felt bright and full of possibility, a feeling that still resonates today. In a world of minimalist design and muted color palettes, the bold, electric dream of the 80s game show offers a welcome explosion of color and sound, proving that good fun never truly goes out of style.
This year, summer took a while to let go of. After a long winter, I yearned for hot, sweaty days, walking around with sunglasses on and stopping by the public pool. But the other day in DC, a cloudy day signaled what was to come — crisp breezes, falling leaves. Winter’s a long way away; for now, it’s time to open the windows and enjoy the cool down. Here’s 30 books to enjoy along with it!
An artsy novel that takes place during one insufferable dinner party, Happiness and Love examines the materialism, identity, and self-importance that emerge from New York City creative life.
Like a Bostonian My Beautiful Friend, the 1960s coming-of-age debut novel from The Sopranos star Marianne Leone follows a poor daughter of Italian immigrants whose Catholic school education is more restrictive than she’d prefer.
Jordan Castro’s new novel centers Howard, an adjunct professor at an irritating college, sacked with a day of meetings where he’d rather be in the gym. With fluctuating apathy and deep caring about his colleagues, philosophy, and exercise, Harold survives the tedium of academia, only to realize his jitters don’t stop once he finally starts to move his body.
Riki is a twenty-nine-year old temp worker whose hospital job isn’t satisfying. Motoi and Yuko are a power couple who are desperate for a child to complete their perfect life, but are unable to get pregnant. With Riki’s idea to undergo surrogacy, Natsuo Kirino explores the potency and morality of carrying a life that might not be yours in the end.
From the author of two previous books and the Mental Hellth newsletter, P.E. Moskowitz’ new book starts from a near-death experience where they recuperated with the help of drugs. In the vein of Emily Witt’s Health and Safety, Breaking Awake is a tour through drug-addled Americana, both trendy and illicit, condemned and glamorized.
For anyone who’s noticed the hyperfixation our culture has recently had around the eating, presentation, and commodification of food, culinary writer Ruby Tandoh’s All Consuming goes from TikTok chefs to Great British Bake Offs to find out why our fuel has such a hold over our entertainment.
Anyone who has spent time on the internet knows that misogyny is baked into the platform. In her newest book, Laura Bates explores how emerging technologies are deepening sexism, made worse by artificial intelligence, sex robots, and increasing polarization.
The Argentinian author’s new collection has six stories on the edge of the diabolical. An old lady is granted a place to stay, only to be followed by her gun-wielding son; a boy’s speech impediment leads to a father’s feeling of inadequacy; a sea-drenched woman shows up at a salon for her biweekly pampering years after she haunted a young girl’s summer vacation where her sister mysteriously drowned. Spooky and propulsive and perfect for readers of Bora Chung or Mariana Enríquez.
For fans of Lexi Freiman and Tova Reich, Katharina Volkmer’s quippy and brash new novel centers Jimmie, a call center employee whose prowess at his job is underscored by the lipstick he wears everyday, stolen from his mother. Deeply funny, brazen, and then shockingly tender.
For fans of Max Tegmark, Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares go deep on artificial intelligence in this treatise on the defining threat of our time. Both a warning and a manual, they detail how AI has the ability to surpass its human inventors — if it’s not already too late.
Susanne Paola Antonetta’s radically personal exploration of Nazi eugenics infuses the author’s own experience in psychiatric wards into a thorough journey of how best to care for the mentally ill. Using writers and mental patients Dorothea Buck and Paul Schreber as guiding stars, Antonetta searches for answers during a dark and still unfurling time.
Twitter icon (and my favorite …And Just Like That live tweeter) Rose Dommu’s debut novel follows Julia Rosenberg, a trans woman accepted by her family enough to become the ‘best woman’ at her brother’s Floridian wedding. But when her adolescent crush is revealed to be the maid of honor, soon to walk down the aisle with Julia, she might need to tell some white lies to make her seem a little more alluring.
From the author of Girl Online, a new manifesto building on the hyperdeveloped internet society of the twenty-first century. Amateurs builds on Time magazine’s 2006 assertion that ‘you’ are the person of the year — the stragglers and marginalized communities that ultimately build the internet’s biggest trends and rhythms.
The Cambridge scholar’s far-reaching first book incorporates 440 societal lifespans to understand why, how, and where societies fail. With nuclear warfare on the brink and a climate catastrophe not far behind, there’s much to learn from the world’s past failures.
Andre Agassi’s Open meets Jennifer Egan’s A Visit From the Goon Squad in this wildly exciting, whipsmart and beautiful novel of a tragic table tennis star, told by those who were closest to him. Mobile, adventurous, and deeply imaginative, it’s a stunner of a debut.
The debut novel from critic and writer Grace Byron, Herculine imagines an all-trans utopian commune whose good fortune may or may not come from selling their souls to demons. Funny, brash, and unafraid to wade deep into trans politics, this debut is entertainingly chaotic.
Another international motherhood plot! The essayist and novelist Brenda Lozano returns with Mothers, a dueling tale of a comfortably wealthy woman blessed with a large family and the working-class woman who is presented with an adoption opportunity that’s too good to pass up.
Inspired by the true story of a UFO cult based near White Sands, New Mexico, Joshua Wheeler’s debut novel follows Izzy through her whole life, starting from when she was orphaned as a child on the night of the 1967 Apollo mission. Paying homage to Southern gothics and Westerns, The High Heaven explores the Space Age in a wickedly stunning narrative.
Before the summer of 2020, Jude Doyle had a prolific career writing for women’s magazines, winning awards, vocally on the side of a burgeoning and much-needed moment. Then he came out as trans, saying, in fact, he had never been a woman at all. Did I Leave Feminism? is Doyle’s insightful and entertaining manifesto reckoning with this period of his life — and how the fight for feminism isn’t a one-size-fits all issue.
It happened — the world flooded. In this new novel by Eva Meijer, the residents of the Netherlands find shelter internationally, and The Hague dips underneath the water. With the apocalypse upon them, three women refuse to submit and venture to look for remnants of a society that may be lost.
Billed as Hernan Diaz meets Ottessa Moshfegh, Delaney Nolan’s debut roadtrip/catastrophe novel centers medicated patients at Twin Bridge, placated by a dose of BeZen, a calming drug that works on just about everybody. But when a heat wave triggers a blackout, the patients and staff must travel to a new facility, the road to which is dotted with police brutality, climate refugees, and the consequences of the staff’s own lives.
From the author of Outlawed and The Life and Death of Sophie Stark comes an imaginative new novel about an anthropologist whose discovery of a completely preserved body dated to the Iron Age calls into question her memory, past, and expertise.
From the prolific New Yorker writer comes a memoir about the golden age of magazine journalism, packed with her previous features (like a Sunday spent climbing Mount Fuji), but also golden writing and career advice from someone who rose to the top.
Claire-Louise Bennett’s Checkout-19 was one of the most stunning and hypnotic books I’ve ever read, so the novelist’s return is high on my reading list. Her trademark elliptical and mesmerizing prose describes a woman trapped by her memories, asking herself what it means to truly connect to another person.
Praised by George Saunders, this debut collection of stories sounds niche — 2010s transmasculine life in Seattle — but reaches farther into themes of sex, romance, gender expression and identity.
From a writer whose previous books featured Buster Keaton, the future, and the atomic bomb, Edward McPherson turns his attention to a top-down view. Despite its privileged position, the bird’s eye view has been present throughout history, from Civil War times to our now ubiquitous drone warfare tactics.
The Canadian writer returns with a familiar tale of Millennial ennui — Gloria is a writer for The Hype Report, where her column “Self Care” makes her a Carrie Bradshaw hopeful. When she meets Daryn coming back from an anti-immigration rally, she offers to interview him under the guise of an article, but their newfound sexual relationship starts to reveal more about herself than her column ever could.
From the author of Stay Up with Hugo Best, the Publisher’s Marketplace reporter returns with “the best book about adultery since Madame Bovary” (Tony Tulathimutte). For fans of Seduction Theory or Big Swiss, two married couples meet and then split into parallel realities to test the depths of their desire.
Already a hit in China, Hu Anyan’s I Deliver Parcels in Beijing was born out of online essays the night shift worker posted during the COVID pandemic. Quippy and delivering some much needed humanity to the specter of delivery work, Anyan reinvents the narrative of the marketplace.
Jonathan Karl, one of my favorite political writers, returns with Retribution, tracking the journey of the formerly down-and-out President Trump to the unthinkable position of the highest power in office. Journalistically solid and meticulous, Karl’s reporting always provides a much-needed explanation to the chaos of 21st century politics.
Black Jacket has been officially announced by Developer Mi’pu’mi Games and publisher Skystone Games. This new video game collaboration introduces a fresh roguelite deckbuilder, blending classic rules of blackjack and a dark, hellish twist. It also takes inspiration from Balatro — another popular card game with unique mechanics on Steam.
According to PCGamesN, the developer wanted to create a blackjack-inspired card game that feels familiar but entirely new.
“If you really enjoy blackjack, I think this will really resonate with you,” said Skystone Games president David Brevik via PCGamesN.
The result — a card game where every match means the difference between freedom and damnation.
Gambling for Your Soul
Black Jacket is set in hell. In the game, players take on the role of a lost soul trapped in the afterlife. To escape, they must win against other restless spirit in games of Blackjack. Each opponent is also a trapped soul trying to break free. Players can see their hands and how they play, but never their faces. The challenge is to outplay them every game by learning their playstyles and backstories. Every win corresponds to a soul coin necessary to bribe the ferryman for a passage out of hell.
Blackjack with a New Twist
Based on a report from GameRant, Black Jacket plays like classic Blackjack at its core. Still, the goal is to get as close to 21 as possible.
However, the Xbox Hub says this is no ordinary blackjack, as it puts inventive mechanics and special powers into the mix. More clearly, cards can bend the rules during the game. Players can even force opponents to take bad risks or swap hands with theirs. Peeking at the cards in the deck to plan is also possible. These mechanics help players beat the odds.
Similarly, cards come with suits that set the strategy tone. In particular, Spades allows players to manipulate their opponents’ decks and force their hands. As the game goes on, gamers can use modifiers, curses, and card combos to gain an advantage. Ultimately, this deckbuilder requires smart and strategic play in every match.
Release Window and Availability
As per PCGamesN, Black Jacket will launch in 2026 on Steam. Although there is no exact release date yet, fans can already wishlist the game now to get the latest news and updates instantly. At the same time, console releases have not been confirmed. While Mi’pu’mi and Skystone continue to develop the video game, players can expect a playable demo soon.
Do you know how many people die in road traffic accidents every year? 1.9 million. And considering that touring musicians spend far more hours behind the wheel than the average driver… You do the math.
We’re not trying to scare you, it’s just that the reality is, well, pretty scary. And it’s good to know the facts – it’s the only way you can be prepared.
The good news is, there are plenty of things you can do before your tour to either avoid or at least be better prepared for roadside emergencies. Gear damage and theft are real concerns as well, of course, so we’ll cover that aspect as well.
The Touring Artist’s Road-Safety Checklist
1. Driver rotation & sleep scheduling
Let’s start with the basics because they matter the most: do not drive when you’re exhausted. We repeat: do not drive when you’re exhausted! Whenever possible, have fresh eyes at the wheel.
Lay out your driving schedule so no one stays behind a steering wheel for more than, say, four hours at a stretch. You should also have mandated breaks: stop every 2 hours for 15 minutes, minimum. If wakefulness becomes a challenge, hold off and have a short nap.
2. Van maintenance before every departure
You don’t want your van to break down in the middle of nowhere, so maintenance is a must. Do this every time. Just quick checks of tire pressure, fluid levels, lights, wipers, and double-check the lug nuts.
A loose wheel on the highway can be potentially life-ending, so take this advice very seriously. Also, get a mechanical inspection before the tour.
3. Safe gear loading
Your gear can become projectiles. So secure heavy and sharp items low in the van and use internal straps or netting.
Even small items shift in a crash. If you allow gear movement, it might go airborne—in your face.
4. Winter routing
Plan for black ice, slick roads, sudden weather shifts. Avoid steep, icy roads or sparsely serviced highways whenever possible. If a detour adds 30 minutes but stays on well-maintained roads, take it.
Modern mapping tools are good, but cross-check with weather and DOT alerts.
5. Insurance basics
Liability insurance is the bare minimum. You also need cover for instruments, medical expenses, and accidents.
If someone’s handling your gear or you’re depending on a promoter’s transport, verify their coverage. Your instruments count as cargo.
6. Emergency-kit essentials
Here’s what we recommend you always have with you: jumper cables, reflective triangles, a strong flashlight with spare batteries, first-aid kit, blankets or warm clothing, flares or LED beacons, and a phone charger that fits your vehicle.
Make sure to also keep the whole set easily accessible. That roadside mishap won’t wait while you rummage in the back.
7. Venue-side parking strategy
Pull in wide, park where you can back out easily; moved gear or sudden departures shouldn’t mean tight reversals.
Also, keep your rig loaded defensively, not hung-up next to a curb or tight loading dock.
8. Sober-driving policy
Drivers must stay sober; not just legally but mentally alert. Hangovers count too.
Avoid wine-down rituals before long drives. Rotate drivers such that if one had a late night, someone fresh handles the drive. That’s responsibility.
After a Collision: Quick Actions That Matter
If the worst happens, you’ll need clarity and composure. First, check for injuries. Call 911 or local emergency services. Document the scene: photos of damage, skid marks, arms of collision, positions of vehicles. Get witness names and contact info.
Treat economic and non-economic damages seriously. Economic includes medical bills, van or gear repair, lost income from cancelled shows. Non-economic includes pain and suffering. Have medical documentation immediately. Even a minor neck strain can balloon into something serious later, so paper trail matters.
If you’re touring through Columbia, Missouri, you’d search for personal injury support there. Also, contact local authorities promptly and let them know you’re part of a touring act. If you can’t continue driving safely, call roadside service (AAA or local equivalent). Get gear secured, if you can, before towing or transport.
Scalable Tour-Safety Plan at a Glance
Pre-tour:
Mechanical check
Insurance, emergency-kit ready
Route mapped, weather vetted
On the road:
Rotate drivers; enforce breaks
Monitor speed and traffic
Enforce sober policy
Daily setup:
Load gear smart
Park thoughtfully
If you’re in a crash:
Prioritize safety and medical help
Document thoroughly
Get “personal injury support”
Handle insurance
And please remember, a mere 10 km/h speed reduction cuts fatal accidents by about 37%, and injury accidents by about 24%. So drive slowly and responsibly!
Born in China and raised in a multicultural environment, including formative years in Morocco, Youwei Luo eventually settled in London, where his artistic practice continues to expand in scope and ambition. His early fascination with form and silhouette developed into a commitment to visual experimentation, initially through drawing and image-making, and later through sculpture and computational arts. This trajectory reflects a persistent search for abstraction and freedom, where traditional materials and digital technologies intersect to open new avenues of expression.
Youwei’s practice centres on the fragile boundaries between the artificial and the organic, exploring how bodies, systems, and materials mutate in response to one another. Drawing on post-human and post-anthropocentric theory, his work questions what it means to exist in a world of perpetual flux, where distinctions between life and machine, nature and culture, are increasingly unstable. Employing computational processes, 3D printing, and organic matter, he produces hybrid objects and installations that resist easy categorisation. These works often carry an uncanny quality, inviting viewers into a space where familiarity and estrangement coexist, and where symbolic resonances emerge in fragmented layers. Central to his approach is an engagement with materiality and metamorphosis, through which Youwei explores the possibilities of growth, resilience, and transformation in uncertain futures.
Grid, Grain, Growth translates the friction of sand and ambient sound into restless digital vectors, creating patterns that shift between harmony and turbulence. Watching them, I thought of dunes disturbed by wind or waves breaking apart mid-flow, both fragile and alive.
The work does not rely on spectacle. It emphasises interdependence, with sound generating form and form in turn reanimating material. This feels like a quiet challenge to the hierarchy that often privileges the digital over the physical. Here, sand and image coexist as equals, inseparable from one another.
At its core, the piece meditates on growth, not as a steady, triumphant trajectory but as something fragile and contingent. The vectors sprout, scatter, and collapse, echoing the instability through which resilience emerges. The interplay between matter and signal makes the work compelling, showing transformation as something born from friction, precarious yet persistently alive.
neOrigin (2025)
neOrigin (2025) Sculpture 3D print PLA, Animal bones, Metal fixture
With neOrigin, Youwei imagines a creature born from an alternate evolutionary path, where the categories of organic and technological have collapsed into one another. Constructed from 3D-printed vertebrae and repurposed animal bones that he collected while walking along the Thames, the hybrid skeleton is at once familiar and alien. There is something quietly unsettling about it, as though this species evolved in the shadows of our own history. Its metallic fixtures and fractured skull suggest a body caught in perpetual metamorphosis, unsettled within an unstable ecological order.
The work challenges conventional taxonomies, positioning itself in the liminal space between the grotesque and the sublime. Its skeletal form recalls museum specimens and evolutionary diagrams, while its fabrication points toward a post-anthropocentric future in which life emerges from the fusion of matter and machine. In this sense, neOrigin functions as both a speculative proposition and a sculpture, asking what beings might evolve once biology and technology are no longer separate. I found myself lingering over the details of the bones, intrigued by how something so fragile can feel simultaneously raw, historical, and futuristic.
Tension permeates its presence. The creature’s fractured body evokes extinction’s ruin while simultaneously suggesting resilience and adaptation. References to Noah’s Ark and Darwinian theory underline this ambiguity, blending preservation and transformation in a single figure. The result is uncanny yet compelling, and I felt drawn into the paradox it embodies, which is a reminder that life may always have been more hybrid and entangled than our neat categories allow.
The Crucible of Magdeburg (2025)
The Crucible of Magdeburg (2025) Sculpture 3D print PLA, Animal bones, Arduino, Water pumps, Metal fixtures
In The Crucible of Magdeburg, Youwei extends his exploration of speculative lifeforms, imagining an evolutionary arc in which organisms and machines are no longer separate but entangled. The hybrid carcass, evoking the washed-up remains of a vast marine creature, appears both organic and engineered, threaded with tubing, wires, and skeletal fragments. Rather than presenting death as final, the sculpture insists on circulation and exchange: fluids move through the system, saturating its parts in a cycle that suggests reproduction as a porous, ongoing process.
What distinguishes this work is its refusal of Darwinian linearity. Instead of inheritance through genes alone, Youwei proposes symbiosis, collaboration, and fluid entanglement as the forces driving change. Influences from Lynn Margulis’s theory of symbiogenesis and Donna Haraway’s companion species thinking are evident, reframing evolution as dialogue rather than competition. This approach destabilises anthropocentric categories, opening up the possibility of life as continual negotiation between matter, code, memory, and decay.
The imagery is haunting yet poetic. The carcass recalls industrial damage to marine ecosystems while also hinting at emergent futures where technology and biology grow together. It occupies a threshold between ruin and regeneration, between the dead and the not-yet-formed. There is a quiet grandeur in this entanglement: the grotesque remnants of a whale-like form become a site of speculative resilience, a crucible in which new modes of existence might take shape.
In this work, Youwei transforms decomposition into a language of possibility. The Crucible of Magdeburg suggests that evolution is neither linear nor strictly biological, but a process of mutual becoming, where life continually rewrites itself through frictions, failures, and hybrid alliances.
Taken together, the series offers a vision of a world both unstable and generative, where boundaries between nature and culture, machine and organism, the living and the dead dissolve. These works invite reflection on a post-anthropocentric perspective, in which the grotesque potential of hybrid forms becomes not a threat, but a provocation, encouraging reconsideration of resilience, adaptation, and the possible futures of life itself.
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Mothers
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DILF: Did I Leave Feminism?
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Happy Bad
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Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long Way
Self Care
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