2020年第三届宝珀理想国文学奖初名单公布

2020年第三届宝珀理想国文学奖初选名单今日公布,17位青年作家的作品入围。本届评选,报名人数再创新高,参赛作品质量与数量并重,题材丰富多元。评委会悉心审阅,各有所爱,于今日公布这一阵容豪华的入围初名单。宝珀理想国文学奖的设立,是为了让大众真正感受到“读书,让时间更有价值”。9月15日,文学奖评奖办公室将依据评委多数表决出的作品,公布“决名单”,最终入围决选的作品数量仍为5本,竞争尤为激烈,敬请期待。

宝珀理想国文学奖由瑞士高级制表品牌BLANCPAIN宝珀与中国最具影响力的出版品牌理想国共同发起,是华语文学领域首个为发掘和鼓励45周岁以下的优秀青年作家,由商业品牌与出版社联合创立的奖项。公正、权威、专业是宝珀理想国文学奖诞生时确立,并将一以贯之的原则。继首届“不悔少作”,第二届“重构世界图景的写作激情”之后,2020年宝珀理想国文学奖年度主题为“成为同时代人”。本届评委会由苏童,孙甘露,西川,杨照,张亚东(按照姓氏拼音次序)五位评审委员组成。

自今年4月10日开始征件,截至5月15日止,宝珀理想国文学奖评奖办公室共收到来自作家与出版单位的近百部小说作品参评。经过本届评审委员三个月来的审读,文学奖评奖办公室今日公布,入围2020年宝珀理想国文学奖初名单的17部作品下:

2020年宝珀理想国文学奖初名单(按作家首字拼音排序)及评委推荐语

《遇见陆小雪》 陈崇正

    热情洋溢的注视生活的目光,文字饱满多汁,有可贵的幽默感。

《活食》 陈思安

沛然的想象力,在当代难得一见的实验精神。艺术家的文学。

《乳牙》 春树

毫无矫饰,所有字句都平静地戳向人生痛处。成熟而诚恳的写作。

《漂泊者及其影子》 耿庆淼

文字质朴粗砺却不单调,意外地让对话和叙事具有独特的影像感。

《鹌鹑》 郭沛文

套用了推理的悬疑形式,却在叙事手法上多了费心的变化安排,相对于小说所制造出的深刻悲凉感伤,事实答案相对变得没那么重要,透显出对小说精神的一定掌握。

《流溪》 林棹

闪亮的女性青春故事,必须用才华横溢来形容作者。向外部天地展开,又竭力向内收缩的小世界,植物般潮湿的回忆或者想象。

《童年兽》 陆源

风格鲜明,以特殊的语调揭示同时代人的真实处境和精神状况。

《浮生二十一章》 任晓雯

是一部穿旗袍的作品,形式与叙事都是中国风。为沪上小人物树碑立传的想法很好。稳定的,独特的,干净的,利索的,地方性的文体。

《小行星掉在下午》 沈大成

各篇都得益于奇崛的构思,有电子感,想象力与思辩力并驾齐驱。异想天开的寓言式写作。真空里的故事。

《猎人》 双雪涛

成熟的具有个人风格的作品。对叙事的节奏感有较强的理解和把握。对于虚构的运用极度成熟,也有明确的结构设计。在小说写作技法的操控上游刃有余,到达极高的专业水平。

《鲛在水中央》 孙频

作者的文字和叙事去粗取精,日趋细密,显示出技艺的成熟和对题材的恰当把握。

《北方狩猎》 魏市宁

日常生活写出奇异的气象。

《北京西郊故事集》 徐则臣

风格化的文字,写看似平凡却内蕴力量的诸多细节,成功创造了将读者拉进一个既熟悉又陌生世界的效果,那些我们知道的被重新检视,那些我们不知道的被温柔地揭露,各篇之间的呼应安排也有其细致之处。

《上山》 吟光

将古代知识分子带进现实场景,对语言和整体结构有合理的把握能力。

《5月14日,流星雨降落土拨鼠镇》 雨落荒原

聪明的作者,其智力在行文中随处可见。

《嫉妒》 张玲玲

处理感情故事平易、沉着,叙述细密、深入,但又蕴含着强烈的情感。

《消失的女儿》 郑小驴

一些在繁荣发展过程中没有赶上列车的人,无法对付将自己抛落的巨大时代力量,只好将带有伤痕的力量用在伤害同等疲惫无奈的人。可以感受到作者在感伤与愤怒间找寻新的叙述方式的努力。

附:2020年第三届宝珀理想国文学奖评委介绍(按照姓氏拼音次序)

苏童,作家,著有《罂粟之家》《妻妾成群》《米》《菩萨蛮》《我的帝王生涯》《城北地带》《黄雀记》等。

孙甘露,作家,华东师大中国创意写作研究院院长,《思南文学选刊》社长、主编,上海国际文学周及“思南读书会”总策划。著有《呼吸》《访问梦境》《忆秦娥》等。

西川,诗人、散文和随笔作家、翻译家,出版有诗集、诗文集、随笔集、评著、译著、编著二十余部。

杨照,作家,文学评论家。著有《暗巷迷夜》《迷路的诗》《故事照亮未来》《史记的读法》等小说、散文、评论集及现代经典细读系列四十余种。

张亚东,音乐家,跨界艺术家,华语流行音乐界顶级制作人。曾为众多一线歌手艺人制作专辑,现任太合音乐集团音乐总监。

 

宝珀理想国文学奖评奖办公室

地址:北京市东城区和平里兴化东里26号楼

电话:010-84255532(分机8075)

邮编:100013

邮箱:BLANCPAIN-IMAGINIST@imaginist.com.cn

 

 

突破350万人观看,刷新百度秒懂本尊Live直播纪录:宝珀理想国文学奖评委对谈,从高考作文到同时代创作者

2020年7月7日,高考首日结束当晚7点,宝珀文化大使梁文道和宝珀中国区副总裁廖信嘉携手第三届宝珀理想国文学奖评委团,做客百度直播间,以高考作文话题为引,带来一场精彩绝伦的直播对谈。直播话题登上百度实时热榜,直播过程观看人数突破350万,打破了百度百科秒懂本尊Live迄今为止最高的直播观看纪录。

“读书,让时间更有价值”,第三届宝珀理想国文学奖初选名单将于8月1日公布,敬请期待。

直播画面

作为商业品牌,瑞士高端腕表Blancpain宝珀的直播首秀,并未选择时下流行的直播带货,而是以名家深度对谈的形式,呈现一场能被时间记录下来、蕴含文化积淀的精神盛宴。

第三届宝珀理想国文学奖的主题为“成为同时代人”,关注在时代变化中,拥有最强、最鲜活生活感知的年轻作者们的创作。本次直播,评委团以“我和我的同时代人”为主题,从高考作文聊到这个时代的青年文学以及同时代人的故事。已成为名家的评审们在对话中,畅谈少年时代的创作初心,分享历经沉淀的宝贵经验,并表露对剧烈变化时代下新一代创作者的寄望。

第三届宝珀理想国文学奖评审团

此次与宝珀文化大使梁文道先生共同参与直播的评委有作家苏童,作家、华东师大中国创意写作研究院院长孙甘露,诗人、翻译家西川,作家、文学评论家杨照,音乐家、跨界艺术家张亚东。评委们分享了高考往事和初接触创作的经历,交流了文学奖评选的标准与故事。苏童在直播中梳理出40年前因审错高考作文题而导致的“惨案”真相;孙甘露阐述通过评奖触摸时代创作脉动的意图;西川讲述了少年时理想由画家到诗人的转变;杨照分享了用写作挑战作文课的趣事;张亚东诉说了自己的最初的创作冲动来源。在聊到同时代创作者与时代的关系时,梁文道总结道:“为什么有时候天才成群的来,其实这是一个群体关系,一个人如果没有碰上那样的时代、那样的环境,身边没有志同道合或者一个圈子的人一起砥砺做一些事,是很困难的。”

梁文道与廖信嘉直播对谈画面

在直播的压轴部分,斯沃琪集团中国管理委员会成员、宝珀中国区副总裁廖信嘉先生说:“文学与制表有着相同的一种精神,叫做匠人精神。”恒常坚持在写作道路上的青年作家,与285年恒久坚持高级机械制表的宝珀,有着相同的价值观和共鸣。“权威和公正,是非常打动品牌的核心内容。‘天地良心珀’要求表里如一,表面下的功夫和腕表机芯里下的功夫是一致的。看得到和看不到的地方一样重要。对待文学作品也是,必须采取这样的公正态度,才能给读者和作者一个交代,公道对于作者,对于宝珀理想国文学奖都非常重要。没有一个奖项是完美的,不能说每个获奖者都是完美的结果,但我们可以说这个过程是完美和公道的,我们要尽量保证这点。这和宝珀制表的态度是一致的,这些对品牌来说是支持这个文学奖奖项最重要的根基。”

现代潜水腕表之父宝珀五十噚系列

作为世界高端腕表品牌,宝珀同样以热爱文学,富有情怀闻名。宝珀的标志性腕表作品,现代潜水腕表之父五十噚,名字就取自莎士比亚的《暴风雨》里的一段,“五噚的深处,躺着你的父亲。”噚,深度单位,深度加上父亲的意象,五十噚的名字因此诞生。文学,以灵感的方式,蕴藏在宝珀的文化之中。

更多精彩内容,欢迎通过下方链接或扫描海报上的二维码收看回放。

“我和我的同时代人”直播海报

直播链接:http://t.cn/A6yGQ7om

 

 

 

成为同时代人——2020宝珀理想国文学奖即日起征件

2020年4月10日,第三届宝珀理想国文学奖正式启动,宣布2020年度主题即 “成为同时代人” ,本届评委团由苏童,孙甘露,西川,杨照,张亚东组成(按照姓氏拼音排序)。即日起至5月15日,组委会接受出版社、出版公司或作者本人提交作品。最终获奖者将于10月下旬的颁奖典礼现场公布。2018年,宝珀理想国文学奖由瑞士高级制表品牌宝珀与中国最具影响力的出版品牌理想国共同发起,是华语文学领域首个为发掘和鼓励45周岁以下的优秀青年作家,由商业品牌与出版社联合创立的奖项。荣膺首奖的青年作家将获得人民币30万元的鼓励支持。公正、权威、专业是宝珀理想国文学奖诞生时确立,并将一以贯之的原则。

宝珀理想国文学奖每年焕新主题与评委团,已成最大特色。主题,既是不同代际作家的话题纽带,也是在新一代青年作家中提炼共通性和时代性的方式。继首届“不悔少作”,第二届“重构世界图景的写作激情”之后,2020年宝珀理想国文学奖确立年度主题即“成为同时代人”。

2020年以非同寻常的方式开启,我们学习站在人类共同体的立场上,去观察、审视、思考。在剧烈而去向未定的时代变化中,年轻一代拥有最强、最鲜活的生存感知,曾经主动认领或者自嘲过的“小时代”早已失效,今天我们确乎生逢一个“大时代”——我们将如何体认和面对?

我们必须成为同时代人。必须关心“我们与谁以及与什么同属一个时代?”为了回答这样的问题,文学的意义再次被激活——

“因为没有任何更好的东西,所以我选择站在人这边。”

“无穷的远方,无数的人们,都和我有关。”

“世界始终是我们最初和最后的爱。”

经典文学,从来便是诞生于人群之中。“有才智的人可以鄙视他的时代,但他同时也知道,他不可改变地属于这个时代,他不能逃离自己的时代”。青年写作者必须面对这一切,不是愤世嫉俗,不是顾影自怜,不是抄袭现实,不是炮制性别、宗教的新类型文学,而是去做一个真正的现实主义者,争取不可能之事,争取人与人之间的互相理解与重新联结,争取身份与地域之外的更广袤、更真实的世界。这不是在人为地把文学工具化,而恰恰是文学自有的题中之义。成为同时代人,这是写作者对文学的信念,也是对“我的世纪”的许诺。

在谈到对今年文学奖的期待时,本届评委提到:“我们在发现那些手握透镜的天才,为了让文学燃烧起来。”

【2020宝珀理想国文学奖评委介绍】(按照姓氏拼音排序)

 苏童

作家,著有《罂粟之家》《妻妾成群》《米》《菩萨蛮》《我的帝王生涯》《城北地带》《黄雀记》等。

“天才往往寄身于青年人中,文学天才也一样。引用维特根斯坦的话说,‘天才并不比任何一个诚实的人有更多的光,但他有一个特殊的透镜,可以将光线聚焦至燃点。’我们在发现那些手握透镜的天才,为了让文学燃烧起来。”

孙甘露

作家,华东师大中国创意写作研究院院长,《思南文学选刊》社长、主编,上海国际文学周及“思南读书会”总策划。著有《呼吸》《访问梦境》《忆秦娥》等。

“宝珀理想国文学奖,聚焦四十五岁以下的作者,我理解大致包含了这样两方面的意图,一是鼓励年轻的、新出现的作者,他们的作品蕴含或者创造了新的写作因素;另一方面,通常这个年龄段的作家也足以写出优秀的作品,同时他们的写作也呼应了当下的精神生活和细微的文学脉动。所以,这既是一个在技艺上面向未来的奖项,也是一个对现实生活有着深切关怀的奖项。”

西川

诗人、散文和随笔作家、翻译家,出版有诗集、诗文集、随笔集、评著、译著、编著二十余部。

“有些作家对社会、生活、历史、语言、文化等持批判性态度,有些作家则对这类问题漠不关心,只写自己的家具、枕头、家人、窗户、春夏秋冬等等。但任何好的作家总善于从各种陈词滥调中逃脱出来,发现缝隙,展开他的工作。庸人的世界都是雷同的。从事文学艺术的人必须从平均值中跳出来,某种工作一旦进入了时代的平均值,它的创造性就完蛋了。”

杨照

作家,文学评论家。著有《暗巷迷夜》《迷路的诗》《故事照亮未来》《史记的读法》等小说、散文、评论集及现代经典细读系列四十余种。

“一个人在成长的道路上遇到了文学就等于开拓了多样可能性,去想象生命会有怎样的经验、感动与看法。文学创作就是在现实之外去为自己与为读者创造不同的经验、感动与看法。好的文学让创作者在作品中活成了更精彩更深刻的人,还能同时刺激读者在阅读中去追求更精彩更深刻的人生目标。”

张亚东

音乐家,跨界艺术家,华语流行音乐界顶级制作人。曾为众多一线歌手艺人制作专辑,现任太合音乐集团音乐总监。

“很期待和青年作家们的这场相遇,希望在阅读过他们的文字之后,我能写出更酷的音乐。”

【2020宝珀理想国文学奖参赛规则】

宝珀理想国文学奖参评对象限定45岁以下用汉语写作、在大陆地区出版过中文简体版作品的作家,决赛入围者将获得奖金奖励,终奖得主可获人民币30万元奖金,以助其专注写作。作品需为小说,类型不限,纯文学及跨类型的犯罪、推理、科幻等均可参加。出版作品由出版社、出版公司或作者本人提交;出版社及出版公司限递交两位作家各一种作品,作者限递交一种作品。

参评作品应为2019年5月1日到2020年4月30日间正式出版的书籍,最迟送交作品的时间为5月15日。8月1日,文学奖评奖办公室根据每位评委提出的2至3位初选人选,公布“初名单”。9月15日,文学奖评奖办公室根据由评委以多数表决产生的5名人选,公布“决名单”。最终获奖者(1名)将于10月中下旬举行的颁奖礼现场公布。

关于评选办法与奖项进展,可关注文学奖官方网站http://www.ilixiangguo.com/literary.html 以及新浪微博话题#宝珀理想国文学奖#。

【宝珀理想国文学奖介绍】

 “宝珀理想国文学奖”是为发掘有潜力的文坛新锐,支持有才华的青年作家,鼓励汉语小说创作而设立的文学奖项,由瑞士高级制表品牌宝珀Blancpain与中国最具影响力的文化品牌理想国联合主办。

青年的参与和活跃度永远是决定该行业是否有前途的重要标志。在文学创作领域,有才华的青年作家需要一个机遇,文学出版平台需要发掘有潜力的作者,吸引更多人关注和参与。当代经典作家中,许多人在青年时期被发掘和认可,青年文学奖对他们意义非凡。如奈保尔、库切和新晋诺贝尔文学奖得主石黑一雄都曾获“布克奖”荣誉,并于成熟期获得了“诺贝尔文学奖”;日本的重要作家如远藤周作、大江健三郎和村上龙也曾在青年时期获得“芥川奖”肯定。在今天这个世界里,对青年作家而言,文学写作乃是一条孤独而漫长的路,这一文学奖项衷心期盼寻找一笔一划如手艺人般炼字的未来希望。

作为中国最具影响力的出版品牌,理想国一直致力于发掘中文世界最好的书写者,赋予有思想的文字以有尊严的出版,想象书籍的另一种可能。木心、白先勇、西西、张大春……这些作家的文字历久弥新,滋养了一代又一代读者的精神宇宙。理想国坚持出版时间长河中的文学经典,同时又汇集当下最具活力和思考力的青年作家群,他们以多元的写作、开放的见解关怀眼下人类的处境。

作为创始于1735年的高级瑞士腕表品牌,宝珀已有285年的历史。“经典时计的缔造者”,对于时计的“经典”的理解是,超越物质,归于信念、审美与人性。“缔造”则意味着,在漫长时光中的坚持,为了每一枚腕表的结构、细节乃至主题,运用灵感与技艺、付出毅力与耐心,为了顶级的品质标准,不惧推翻、重来。这,与经典文学的内核及其创作过程,享有一致性。文学,是时间的延长线。“宝珀”+“理想国”=“恒长坚持在写作上的青年文学”。

宝珀理想国文学奖评奖办公室

地址:北京市东城区和平里兴化东里26号楼

电话:010-84255532(分机8075)

邮编:100013

邮箱:BLANCPAIN-IMAGINIST@imaginist.com.cn

 

Trump and Biden pictured through the year

From BBC

 

IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES / BBC

President Donald Trump, 74, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, 77, each have more than seven decades of personal and professional experience behind them.

Here is a selection of photos that span their lives.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTALAMY
image captionAn 18-year-old Donald Trump in his military school uniform, pictured in the New York Military Academy’s 1964 yearbook
IMAGE COPYRIGHTALAMY
image captionJoe Biden, aged 25, in 1967

IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionDonald Trump in 1976
IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionSenator-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office in hospital, with his father-in-law Robert Hunter looking on, and recovering son Beau Biden
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IMAGE COPYRIGHTJOE MCNALLY / GETTY IMAGES
image captionDonald Trump travels across New York City in his personal helicopter in August 1987
IMAGE COPYRIGHTARNIE SACHS / GETTY IMAGES
image captionSenator Biden with his wife Jill, at a press conference, announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race

IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionMr Trump attends a press conference for Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in New York, January 1999

IMAGE COPYRIGHTWALLY MCNAMEE/ GETTY IMAGES

image captionSenators Joe Biden and Ted Kennedy during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings

 

IMAGE COPYRIGHTRON GALELLA / GETTY IMAGES

image captionDonald Trump and Melania Trump, then Melania Knauss, seen in 1998

IMAGE COPYRIGHTJOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES

image captionJoe Biden speaks on stage after being introduced by Barack Obama as his vice-presidential running mate at an event in Springfield, Illinois
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IMAGE COPYRIGHTCARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS
image captionPresident Donald Trump points to his son Barron on inauguration day in Washington in 2017, with First Lady Melania

It was not until June 2015 that Mr Trump formally announced his entrance into the race for the White House. His campaign for the presidency was rocked by controversies, including the emergence of a recording from 2005 of him making lewd remarks about women, and claims, including from members of his own party, that he was not fit for office.

But he consistently told his army of supporters that he would defy the opinion polls, which mostly had him trailing his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. He said his presidency would strike a blow against the political establishment and “drain the swamp” in Washington.

He took inspiration from the successful campaign to get Britain out of the European Union, saying he would pull off “Brexit times 10”. Despite almost all the predictions, Mr Trump was victorious in the 2016 election. He was inaugurated as the 45th US president on 20 January 2017.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTMICHAEL REYNOLDS / GETTY IMAGES
image captionBarack Obama and Joe Biden react as the prime minister of Ireland, Brian Cowen, speaks during the annual St Patrick’s Day Reception in the White House in 2010

In a surprise ceremony in the final days of his presidency, Mr Obama awarded Mr Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honour.

“To know Joe Biden is to know love without pretence, services without self-regard and to live life fully,” the then president said.

It had been a successful partnership, but a period not without trauma for Mr Biden, whose son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 46. The younger Biden was seen as a rising star of US politics and had intended to run for Delaware state governor in 2016.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTWIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES
image captionPresident Donald Trump removes his mask upon return to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on 5 October, after spending three days hospitalised for coronavirus

Mr Trump’s re-election campaign has been conducted against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, in which 230,000 Americans have died, and seen the president himself become infected. First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron caught the virus too, along with a number of staff at the White House.

In the days before the election on 3 November, Trump urged states to shun lockdowns, whilst continuing his schedule of rallies in battleground states.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTROBERTO SCHMIDT / GETTY IMAGES
image captionJoe Biden speaks to the press at the Erie International Airport in Pennsylvania before returning to Delaware on 10 October

The two presidential rivals’ divisions over the coronavirus have been deep, with Mr Biden having said the president’s handling of the worsening coronavirus crisis was an “insult” to its victims.

“Even if I win, it’s going to take a lot of hard work to end this pandemic,” he said. “I do promise this – we will start on day one doing the right things.”

More than 90 million Americans have voted early, many of them by post, in a record-breaking voting surge driven by the pandemic.

Photos are subject to copyright.

A Look Back at the Very ’90s “Rock the Vote” Campaign

From Vogue/By LIANA SATENSTEIN
November 2, 2020

Today we have celebrities on social media imploring their followers to go vote, but in 1990, there was “Rock the Vote,” which featured the music industry’s range of pop stars and celebrities to speak about the importance of voting. The initiative was created 30 years ago by Virgin Records music executive Jeff Ayeroff in a response to censorship of rock and rap lyrics, and who had seen it as suppression to freedom of speech. The initiative’s purpose was to share information and encourage voter participation among the youth. While the campaign kicked off in 1990, the organization still exists today. But the ’90s videos are particularly special, in all of their grainy and experimental glory, featuring the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, and Iggy Pop. And while each message was tailored to the participants personality, the message was the same: Get out and vote.

 


The videos are still available on YouTube, some of which are compiled by fans, and others by Rock the Vote itself. In one clip, we see Iggy Pop wearing his most signature look, which is him shirtless and a low-slung pair of jeans, rotating on a disc while simultaneously being mummified in tape. (It looks painful!) Another standout video features Lenny Kravitz with a patchwork jacket, his go-to look during the era. “Tell them what’s on your mind,” he says in the video. Sarah Jessica Parker fans will be overjoyed to see her with then-boyfriend Robert Downey Jr. in an ad by director Lawrence Bridges. The baby-faced duo wears all black and performs together in an art house style film that taps into the concept of “Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil.” SJP leaves us with the words: “It is your turn to speak. Your vote, is your voice.”


The most jaw-dropping outfit was Madonna’s. At the time, the Queen of Pop boasted a Marilyn Monroe-style coif, and was snapping and singing with her backup dancers, all while wrapped in the American flag. (Underneath it, she wears red lingerie.) She sang the song “Vogue” but replaced the word with “Vote.” The off-the-cuff tune had the following lyrics: “Abe Lincoln, Jefferson Tom/They didn’t need the atomic bomb/We need beauty, we need art/We need government with a heart/Don’t give up your freedom of speech/Power to the people is in our reach.” (She also rapped: “If you don’t vote, you’re gonna get a spanking.”) The look was controversial and it drew criticism from Veterans of Foreign Wars for how Madonna draped herself in the flag. In response, her publicist noted: “It is essential that people should vote. She’s trying to get that message across in a humorous, dramatic way. But she’s very serious about the issue.”

As much controversy as the campaign may have caused, it was successful in getting young people to vote. At the time, according to a New York Times article from October 20, 1990, 10,000 college students from five California campuses registered to vote in the wake of the campaign. Since then, other campaigns have followed suit, like MTV’s “Choose or Lose”, which aired a clip of Madonna and Iggy Pop in 1996. The duo wore red and blue eyeshadow, and had “Choose or Lose” animated into their eyes. (Moss wore a dress dotted with “Choose or Lose” pins, including on cups that acted like pasties. Iggy Pop went shirtless with pin-dotted pants, and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers made a cameo at the end in a pin-covered floppy hat.) Back in 2004, P. Diddy launched the “Citizen Change,” and released those iconic “Vote or Die” T-shirts, which were recently revamped by Pyer Moss.

The “Rock the Vote” visuals were groundbreaking and had that stellar free-for-all flair seen in other MTV-backed productions, like Sofia Coppola and Zoe Cassavetes’s Hi Octane.The aesthetic of the ’90s “Rock the Vote” campaigns are still making an artistic impact, too. Most recently, New York-based downtown director Dani Aphrodite, along with the organization Soft Power Vote, released the “Level Up” series, a nostalgic collection of videos that feature downtown New York’s favorite faces with messages to vote, all of which were heavily influenced by “Rock the Vote.” Turns out that while times have changed, the message and influence of “Rock the Vote” still stands and feels just as strong as it did since its inception 30 years ago.

US election 2020: Trump and Biden pictured through the years

From BBC

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54267454

IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES / BBC

President Donald Trump, 74, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, 77, each have more than seven decades of personal and professional experience behind them.

Here is a selection of photos that span their lives.

The early years

IMAGE COPYRIGHTALAMY
image captionAn 18-year-old Donald Trump in his military school uniform, pictured in the New York Military Academy’s 1964 yearbook

Born in the wake of World War Two, in June 1946, Donald John Trump was the fourth child of New York real estate tycoon Fred Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump. Despite the family’s wealth, he was expected to do the most menial jobs within his father’s company and was sent to a military academy at age 13 after he started misbehaving in school.

He attended the University of Pennsylvania and became the favourite to succeed his father in the family business after his older brother, Fred, opted to become a pilot.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTALAMY
image captionJoe Biden, aged 25, in 1967

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1942. He was the first of four children, in an Irish-American Catholic family. Young Joe’s biggest challenge was overcoming a speech impediment – a stutter – that afflicted him well into high school. His technique of practising speaking in front of a mirror paid off after several months.

Mr Biden attended the University of Delaware and then law school at Syracuse University.

He later married his first wife, Neilia, and started his political career in Wilmington.

The 1970s

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image captionDonald Trump in 1976

Mr Trump says he got into the property business with a “small” $1m loan from his father, before joining Fred Trump’s company. There, he helped manage an extensive portfolio of residential housing estates in New York City, eventually taking control of the company. In 1971, he renamed it the Trump Organization.

Six years later, Donald Trump married his first wife, Ivana Zelnickova, a Czech athlete and model. His children from his first marriage – Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric – now help run Trump Organization, though he is still chief executive.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionSenator-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office in hospital, with his father-in-law Robert Hunter looking on, and recovering son Beau Biden

Joe Biden was eagerly waiting to take up his seat in the US Senate, having been elected in 1972, when tragedy struck. His wife and infant daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident. His sons Beau and Hunter were seriously injured.

Mr Biden famously took the oath of office for his first term as a Democratic Party senator from the hospital room of his toddler sons.

The 1980s

IMAGE COPYRIGHTJOE MCNALLY / GETTY IMAGES
image captionDonald Trump travels across New York City in his personal helicopter in August 1987

In the late 1970s Mr Trump stepped his ambitions up a gear, shifting his property focus from Brooklyn and Queens to glitzy Manhattan. After snapping up a rundown hotel and transforming it into the Grand Hyatt he built the most famous Trump property – the 68-storey Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. It opened in 1983.

Other properties bearing the famous name followed – Trump Place, Trump World Tower, Trump International Hotel and Tower – and his powerful brand began to draw media interest.

But not everything he touched turned to gold. Mr Trump’s ventures have led to four business bankruptcy filings.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTARNIE SACHS / GETTY IMAGES
image captionSenator Biden with his wife Jill, at a press conference, announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race

During his first 14 years in Washington, Mr Biden rebuilt his personal life after the deaths of his wife and daughter. He committed to giving his sons a semblance of a normal life, and commuted each day from the family home in Delaware to Washington DC. He eventually remarried, to schoolteacher Jill Jacobs, with whom he had another child, Ashley.

Mr Biden established himself on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and began to build a national profile. In 1987, he launched his first go at the US presidency, but withdrew after he was accused of plagiarising a speech by the then leader of the British Labour Party, Neil Kinnock.

The 1990s

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image captionMr Trump attends a press conference for Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in New York, January 1999

Property alone was not enough for Mr Trump, who moved into the entertainment sector, snapping up a clutch of beauty pageants in 1996: Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA. In his personal life, after splitting with Ivana he married actress Marla Maples in 1993.

They had a daughter, Tiffany, before divorcing in 1999 – the same year Mr Trump’s father died.

“My father was my inspiration,” Mr Trump said at the time.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTWALLY MCNAMEE/ GETTY IMAGES
image captionSenators Joe Biden and Ted Kennedy during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings

On 11 October 1991, the US public were glued to their TVs as Anita Hill, a law professor at the University of Oklahoma, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee was holding a hearing into the nomination for the US Supreme Court of Clarence Thomas. Ms Hill alleged he had sexually harassed her on many occasions when they had both worked for the Reagan administration.

As chairman of the committee, Joe Biden led the hearing. His handling of Ms Hill’s evidence has long been criticised.

The hearing was conducted by an all-white, all-male panel, and several women apparently willing to back up Ms Hill’s account were not called by Mr Biden to testify.

Speaking in a TV interview in April 2019, Mr Biden said that he was “sorry for the way she got treated”.

The 2000s

IMAGE COPYRIGHTRON GALELLA / GETTY IMAGES
image captionDonald Trump and Melania Trump, then Melania Knauss, seen in 1998

In 2003, Mr Trump fronted a new reality TV show that played to his reputations as both a businessman and a media personality. Called The Apprentice. the programme featured contestants competing for a shot at a management job in Mr Trump’s commercial empire.

He hosted the show for 14 seasons, and claimed in a financial disclosure form that he had been paid a total of $213m by the network during the show’s run.

Meanwhile, in 2005, he married his current wife, Melania Knauss, a Yugoslavian-born model. The couple have one son, Barron William Trump.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTJOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES
image captionJoe Biden speaks on stage after being introduced by Barack Obama as his vice-presidential running mate at an event in Springfield, Illinois

Mr Biden had another shot at the presidency in 2008 before dropping out. But while his campaign had failed to break through, he was to reappear later that year in a role that assured him international prominence. On 23 August 2008, Mr Obama introduced Joe Biden as his vice-presidential running mate.

It was a winning ticket and the pair eventually served two terms, establishing a close working relationship in which Mr Biden frequently called Mr Obama his “brother”.

The 2010s

IMAGE COPYRIGHTCARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS
image captionPresident Donald Trump points to his son Barron on inauguration day in Washington in 2017, with First Lady Melania

It was not until June 2015 that Mr Trump formally announced his entrance into the race for the White House. His campaign for the presidency was rocked by controversies, including the emergence of a recording from 2005 of him making lewd remarks about women, and claims, including from members of his own party, that he was not fit for office.

But he consistently told his army of supporters that he would defy the opinion polls, which mostly had him trailing his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. He said his presidency would strike a blow against the political establishment and “drain the swamp” in Washington.

He took inspiration from the successful campaign to get Britain out of the European Union, saying he would pull off “Brexit times 10”. Despite almost all the predictions, Mr Trump was victorious in the 2016 election. He was inaugurated as the 45th US president on 20 January 2017.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTMICHAEL REYNOLDS / GETTY IMAGES
image captionBarack Obama and Joe Biden react as the prime minister of Ireland, Brian Cowen, speaks during the annual St Patrick’s Day Reception in the White House in 2010

In a surprise ceremony in the final days of his presidency, Mr Obama awarded Mr Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honour.

“To know Joe Biden is to know love without pretence, services without self-regard and to live life fully,” the then president said.

It had been a successful partnership, but a period not without trauma for Mr Biden, whose son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 at the age of 46. The younger Biden was seen as a rising star of US politics and had intended to run for Delaware state governor in 2016.

2020

IMAGE COPYRIGHTWIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES
image captionPresident Donald Trump removes his mask upon return to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on 5 October, after spending three days hospitalised for coronavirus

Mr Trump’s re-election campaign has been conducted against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, in which 230,000 Americans have died, and seen the president himself become infected. First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron caught the virus too, along with a number of staff at the White House.

In the days before the election on 3 November, Trump urged states to shun lockdowns, whilst continuing his schedule of rallies in battleground states.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTROBERTO SCHMIDT / GETTY IMAGES
image captionJoe Biden speaks to the press at the Erie International Airport in Pennsylvania before returning to Delaware on 10 October

The two presidential rivals’ divisions over the coronavirus have been deep, with Mr Biden having said the president’s handling of the worsening coronavirus crisis was an “insult” to its victims.

“Even if I win, it’s going to take a lot of hard work to end this pandemic,” he said. “I do promise this – we will start on day one doing the right things.”

More than 90 million Americans have voted early, many of them by post, in a record-breaking voting surge driven by the pandemic.

Photos are subject to copyright.

Hilarious Winners of Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020 Announced

Turtle at Lady Elliot Island Flipping the Bird

“Terry the Turtle flipping the bird” ©️ Mark Fitzpatrick / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Overall Winner, Creatures Under the Water Award. Animal: Turtle, Location: Lady Elliot Island, Queensland Australia.
“I was swimming with this turtle at Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef when he flipped me the bird!”

Could you use a good laugh? You’re in luck because there are lots of laughs to be had when looking at the winners of the 2020 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards. With over 7,000 entries from photographers around the world, it wasn’t an easy decision to narrow the field to a winner. But in the end, it was a photo of a sassy turtle that helped photographer Mark Fitzpatrick win the top award.

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time for Fitzpatrick. The Australian photographer was swimming with turtles off Lady Elliot Island in Queensland when he happened to catch one giving him the middle finger. It’s a hilarious moment that makes you wonder how Fitzpatrick was able to maintain his composure and take the photo.

“It’s been amazing to see the reaction to my photo of Terry the Turtle flipping the bird, with Terry giving people a laugh in what has been a difficult year for many, as well as helping spread an important conservation message,” shares Fitzpatrick. “Hopefully Terry the Turtle can encourage more people to take a moment and think about how much our incredible wildlife depend on us and what we can do to help them. Flippers crossed that this award puts Terry in a better mood the next time I see him at Lady Elliot Island!”

Other category winners include a raccoon half stuck inside a tree (bottom side out), a spermophile singing a tune, and a brown bear knocked out by its own gas. Aside from giving us a good chuckle, the photographs remind us of how special our wildlife is, and that we need to continue to protect it at all costs.

If you’re looking for a laugh, check out the winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Rose-ringed parakeets in Sri Lanka

“Social distance, please!” ©️ Petr Sochman / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Think. Highly Commended. Animal: Rose-ringed parakeet, Location: Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka.
“This photo from January 2020 is the beginning of a scene which lasted approximately one minute and in which each of the birds used a foot to clean the partner’s beak. While the whole scene was very informative, this first photo with the male already holding his foot high in the air was just asking to be taken out of the context…”

Spermophile "Singing" in a Field

“O Sole Mio” ©️ Roland Kranitz / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award. Animal: Spermophile, Location: Hungary
“It’s like he was just “singing” to me! She had a very nice voice.”

Funny Photo of a Raccoon Stuck in a Tree

“Almost time to get up” ©️ Charlie Davidson / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Alex Walker’s Serian Creatures on the Land Award. Animal: Raccoon, Location: Newport News, Virginia.
“The raccoon was just waking up and stretching. We have a raccoon in this tree every so often, sometimes for a night and sometimes for a month.”

Brown Bear Smelling Its Own Fart

“Deadly Fart” ©️ Daisy Gilardini / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Amazing Internet Portfolio Award. Animal: Brown bear, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
“A brown bear is lifting its leg to smell after a fart.. then collapses.”

South Sea Elephants on Isla Escondida in Patagonia

“I had to stay late at work” ©️ Luis Burgueño/ Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: South sea elephant (Mirounga), Location: Isla Escondida, Chubut, Patagonia Argentina.
“South sea elephant in patagonia (Isla Escondida) They adopt very curious gestures!”

Fox and Shrew Looking at Each Other

“Tough negotiations” ©️ Ayala Fishaimer / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Fox, Location: Israel
“I was came across a foxes den while I was traveling, looking for some nature, in the nearby fields. I spent an entire magical morning with four cute fox cubs. At some point I noticed that one of the cubs start sniffing around, and a seconds after, he pulled this shrew (which he probably hid there earlier) out of the sand and started playing with it. after a while, the fox cub stood on the stone and threw the shrew in the air .. the shrew landed in such a way that it seemed as if they were having a conversation, and he is asking the fox “Please don’t kill me” It’s actually reminded me of a scene from ‘The Gruffalo’ story …”

Atlantic Puffin with Fish in Its Mouth

“Seriously, would you share some” ©️ Krisztina Scheef / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Atlantic Puffin, Location: Scotland, UK
“Atlantic Puffins are amazing flyers and their fishing talents are – well – as you see some do better than others! I just love the second Puffin’s look—can I just have one please?”

Parrot Fish at the Canary Islands

“Smiley” ©️ Arthur Telle Thiemenn / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Sparisoma cretense, Location: El Hierro, Canary Islands
“Parrot fish from El Hierro, Canary Islands… among a group of parrot fish I saw this one, with a crooked mouth, looking like it was smiling. I don’t know if it was caused by a fishing hook, or just something hard that it tried to bite. I concentrated on it, and it took me several minutes until I got this frontal shot… and yes, it made my day!”

African Lion Cubs on a Termite Mound

“I’ve got you this time!” ©️ Olin Rogers / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Think Tank Photo Junior Category Winner. Animal: African lion cub, Location: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
“An African lion cub stalks his brother from atop a termite mound.”

Azure damselfly hiding behind a marsh grass stem

“Hide and Seek” ©️ Tim Hearn / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award. Animal: Azure Damselfly, Location: Devon, UK.
“As this Azure damselfly slowly woke up, he became aware of my presence. I was lined up to take a profile picture of his wings and body, but quite sensibly the damsel reacted to the human with the camera by putting the marsh grass stem between me and it. I took the shot anyway. It was only later that I realized how characterful it was. And how much the damselfly looks like one of the muppets.”

Langurs in India

“Fun For All Ages” ©️ Thomas Vijayan / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Langur, Location: Kabini, India
“Shooting the most common is the most challenging thing. Langurs are very common but waiting for the right movement is very challenging and needs lots of patience. Photography is not about the quantity I consider it more of a quality and a storytelling frame that can put a smile in someone’s heart. In 2014 I had made 15 trips to India in search of a perfect frame out of these trips, in one of the trips I could only get this frame and I am more than happy with this picture – A playful monkey with its family is a special frame for me.”

Sea Lion on the Galapagos Islands

“Sun Salutation Class” ©️ Sally Lloyd-Jones / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Sea Lion, Location: Galapagos Islands.
“We were surprised to see that Sea Lions actively practice Yoga. Guess they need to get their Zen as well.”

Langurs on Bikes in India

“The race” ©️ Yevhen Samuchenko / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Langur, Location of shot: Hampi, India.
“My friends and I walked in the center of the small town of Hampi in India. There was a bicycle parking nearby. Suddenly a flock of langurs jumped on these bicycles and began to frolic. We were afraid to frighten them away, I started taking pictures from afar, but then we came very close to them and the langurs continued to play with bicycles.”

Kingfisher with Fish in its Mouth on a 'No Fishing' Sign

“It’s A Mocking Bird!” ©️ Sally Lloyd-Jones / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: A Kingfisher, Location: Near Kirkcudbright
“I was hoping a Kingfisher would land on the ‘No Fishing’ sign but I was over the moon when it landed for several seconds with a fish. It then flew off with its catch. It appeared to be mocking the person who erected the sign!”

Pig-Tailed Macaques Being Risque in a Tree

“Monkey Business” ©️ Megan Lorenz / Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. Highly Commended. Animal: Pig-Tailed Macaques, Location: Kinabatangan River in Borneo, Malaysia.
“While on a trip to Borneo, I had many opportunities to watch monkeys interacting with each other. These Pig-Tailed Macaques showed me a bit more than I bargained for! Don’t blame me…I just take the photos, I can’t control the wildlife! So many titles came to mind for this photo but I went with the safe ‘family-friendly’ option and called it ‘Monkey Business’.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

In pictures: Connery, Sean Connery

From CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/31/entertainment/gallery/sean-connery/index.html

Legendary screen actor Sean Connery, who put a face to the equally legendary character James Bond, has died, according to his publicist.

Connery was best known for his role as the swaggering, lady-loving British spy James Bond, a role he played in seven movies, including “Dr. No” and “Goldfinger.” The Edinburgh-born actor, who was a staunch supporter of Scottish independence, also brought to life characters in films such as “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “The Untouchables” and “The Rock.”

He was 90 years old.