Have you ever wondered how a single individual—armed primarily with words—could shape an entire nation’s identity? Well, let me introduce you to Noah Webster, the quintessential New England patriot who didn’t just define a dictionary but also played a crucial role in solidifying a national conscience. His monumental work enriched the English language with around 12,000 new American words, and he devoted a century to teaching children how to spell. Without his contributions, who knows what bizarre alternatives we might have come to accept as standard? But it’s not just his legacy that’s in the spotlight today. In the whirlwind of the publishing world, figures like Victoria Strauss are standing tall against fraudulent literary agencies, while issues like hiring standards in universities and recent antitrust lawsuits are sparking significant debate. Buckle up, because I’ve got stories that will not only inform but might just make you question the status quo! LEARN MORE.
Have you ever read about Noah Webster?
Meet the American who defined a new national identity, Noah Webster, New England patriot armed with the pen
“‘Schoolmaster of the Republic’ documented 12,000 new American words, taught children to spell for 100 years…”
Victoria Strauss is a hero to the writing and publishing communities!
Some Rare Accountability for a Fake Literary Agency Operation
“The vast bulk of the publishing/marketing/fake literary agency/impersonation scams on which I’ve expended so many words are based in the Philippines (though they do their best to make themselves look local to their preferred American and Canadian victims by maintaining fake business addresses and phone numbers).”
Shouldn’t universities (and everyone else) be hiring based on education, knowledge and experience?
Vulnerable Dem Jon Tester turns on Biden admin over DEI after Montana universities stripped of federal funds
“Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., is calling on President Biden and his administration’s Department of Education to promptly reverse a grant rejection for Montana universities because of a failure to meet certain diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring standards.”
He is an “independent journalist” but his work is published on The Graystone.
American journalist disclosed secrets during Iran attack, police says
“U.S. fears possible diplomatic incident following reporter’s actions.”
CBS has not yet released the entire, unedited video (and probably never will).
CBS News in turmoil as multiple controversies erupt at the network
“CBS first sparked confusion by airing two different answers to the same question about Israel in its ’60 Minutes’ interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, replacing a clip from the Democratic nominee that aired Sunday on ‘Face the Nation…’”
Good news!!!
Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon
“We are pleased with the court’s decision and look forward to moving this case forward,” FTC spokesperson Doug Farrar said in a prepared statement. “The ways Amazon illegally maintains its monopolies and the harm they cause—including suppressed competition and higher prices for shoppers and sellers—will be on full display at trial.”
The defendant publishers are Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, John Wiley & Sons, Sage Publications, Taylor and Francis, and Springer Nature.
Scientists File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Six Journal Publishers
They are accused of scheming to: “Lower labor costs by agreeing not to compensate scholars for performing their peer review services; Reduce competition by requiring scholars to submit their manuscripts to only one journal at a time; and Control access to scientific information by prohibiting scholars from freely sharing their research while their manuscripts are under peer review.”
When politics overtakes science and safety!
Scientists sue publisher for retracting studies showing dangers of abortion pill
“The scientists argue that while their studies were peer-reviewed and had previously been praised for their academic rigor, the publisher retracted them in bad faith for political reasons.”
You would think Interview Magazine would know better!
Photo Agency Sues Interview Magazine for Posting ‘Valuable’ Image of Singer Grimes
“In the filing, Backgrid says it ‘attempted to resolve this dispute prior to filing’ the federal complaint on Sept. 25, the court docs state. However, Interview magazine allegedly ‘refused to engage in meaningful discussions.’”
Small businesses and individuals on Etsy CAN be sued!
Art Collective Behind Viral Image of Kamala Harris Sues for Copyright Infringement
“The creator of a digital image of Kamala Harris set against the shadow of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges is suing a vendor on Etsy for selling the picture in their online store.”
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