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☆ Book Tok drives demand for immersive fantasy events among younger users
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Sometimes events are simply fantasy themed, without reference to specific books or fantasy worlds. Dreams shattered.”She attributes the growing demand for fantasy events to the commercial success of fantasy romance books, especially among Millennial women. The past year has also seen a spike in the popularity of “romantasy,” or romance fantasy books. “You know, work dredges on for a lot of people,” said Brittany Proctor, a Michigan-based entrepreneur who’s been hosting fantasy balls in the Midwest since 2022. In fact, Proctor is considering scaling back some of her events due to the sheer number of these fantasy balls that have been cropping up in recent years.

Persons: San Diego Comic Con, Con, Harry Potter, ”, Katherine Stinson, Eric Atticus, Stinson, Dana John, “, she’s, Alexander Chernev, Matt Harris, Sarah J, Maas, Patti McConville, Juliette Sureau, Sureau, Sophie Valfroy, “ romantasy ”, “ They’re, ” Juliette Sureau, Shaun Wada, Ariana Smoak Holly Simone, Tok, Simone, Shawn Strider, ” Stinson, Brittany Proctor, who’s, ” Maja Djikic, you’re, ” Djikic, Proctor, “ I’ve, I’m Organizations: New, New York CNN, Social, Allied, Research, Disney, Universal, San Diego Comic, TikTok, CNN, Stinson, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, Barnes, Noble Booksellers, Times, Google, “, University of Toronto Locations: New York, Canada, Houston, Houston , Texas, Texas, New York City, USA, TikTok, Columbia , South Carolina, London, Los Angeles, Michigan, ”, Bahamas

☆ Why readers are falling for romantasy stories
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

But when it comes to the literary flavor that’s dominating readers’ attention in 2024, it’s clear: “Romantasy” reigns supreme. When romantasy protagonists (such as dragon-riders, fairies and fallen angels) aren’t busy saving their worlds, they’re falling deeply in love — often with someone they formerly considered an adversary (the “enemies-to-lovers” trope does big numbers with romantasy readers). Romantasy is breaking through among readers who previously didn’t browse the fantasy aisle — and delighting readers who’ve loved it for years. We talk to authors, experts, longtime fans and recent converts about why readers are flocking to romantasy stories, in which treacherous quests are punctuated by steamy trysts. It’s what bookseller and romantasy fan Gideon Ariel calls “Swiss Army lit” — a subgenre that all readers can enjoy, from longtime fantasy nerds to newcomers.

Persons: Romantasy, aren’t, —, ”, Sarah J, Maas, Rebecca Yarros ’, who’ve, steamy trysts, Taylor Su, CNN Romantasy, Frankie Diane Mallis, Yarros ’, Violet Sorrengail, Gideon Ariel, “, Ariel, romantasy, Diana Gabaldon, Nalini Singh, who’s, couldn’t, Stephanie Meyer’s, ’, Jennifer L, Armentrout, Mallis, TikTok, Patti McConville, I’ve, Gemma Todd, Jayashree Kamblé, ” Kamblé, ” Ariel, Beth Gabriel, ” Mallis, Yarros, Todd, “ Harry Potter ”, ” Todd, Gabriel, She’s, Tracy Deonn, ” Sarah J, ” Rebecca Yarros, ” Travis, ” Silvia Moreno, Garcia, ” Scarlett St, Clair, ” Jennifer L, Ash, ” Rebecca Ross, ” Tracy Deonn, ” Frankie Diane Mallis, ” Nalini Singh Organizations: CNN, New York Times, Arcadia University, Army, Guardian, Bloomsbury, LaGuardia Community College, International Association for, Milwaukee Public Library Locations: bibliophiles, Madison , Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Crescent, Yarros, Wisconsin

☆ An ex-finance trader launched a mobile coffee business and grew its sales by over 550% — she shares the 3 strategies that made her truck a household name in Phoenix
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Bella Sayegh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Devon McConville is a former day trader who owns First Place Coffee, a Phoenix-based coffee truck. Now, McConville runs a beloved fixture of the Phoenix drink scene: First Place Coffee, a coffee vendor on wheels. First Place Coffee serves specialty coffee and espresso drinks from a 1970 Chevy P10 truck that regulars know as "Matilda." "I really had this vision to really create a community around a mobile coffee business," McConville said. "It seems really small, to own and operate a mobile coffee business, but I think it really has a large effect that radiates out from it," McConville said.

Persons: Devon McConville, McConville, —, Matilda, Alexandra Cocca McConville, Terrence Murtagh, Murtagh, Elizabeth Chung, Chung, Instagram, Bella Sayegh, Austin Hogland, they've, Kaytee Hogland, We're, she's Organizations: Service, Coffee, BI Locations: Devon, Phoenix, Austin

☆ Why is movie candy sold in boxes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

That last part feels wrong, probably, because at the movies, candy comes in a box. Movie theaters are not the only place to buy boxed candy — you can get boxes of chocolate or candy at some drug stores or online — but even then they’re called theater box candy, a label that undeniably links the package with the movies. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, maker of M&M’s and Skittles, made a similar point, noting that candy sold in “boxes in movie theaters is easier to pour and share, compared to traditional packaging, and boxes offer the ability to re-close.” That means less spilling in between seats. The principle is the same for movie theater candy. “Theater boxes take their name from being available in movie theaters or other retail establishments that might have shelving,” he said.

Persons: ”, Keith Domalewski, Mike, Ike, Mars Wrigley, Patti McConville, you’re, Chris Gindlesperger, “, Gindlesperger, ” Gindlesperger, Matthew Staver, Marcia Mogelonsky, It’s, ” Mogelonsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, Mars, National Confectioners Association, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: New York

☆ US Army no longer has Senate-confirmed leader, joining Marines
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 29, 2021. Retiring Chief of Staff of the Army General James McConville relinquished command on Friday. It will be the first time in history the U.S. military will have two branches, the Army and the Marine Corps, without a confirmed leader, the Pentagon said. "In our dangerous world of security, the United States demands orderly and prompt transitions of our confirmed military leaders," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during the ceremony on Friday. Several states have limited abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and the military argues that women service members cannot choose where they are stationed.

Persons: James McConville, Jonathan Ernst, Tommy Tuberville, Lloyd Austin, Randy George, Roe, Wade, Christine Wormuth, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Mark Porter, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Army, Armed, Committee, Capitol, REUTERS, U.S . Army, U.S, Republican, Staff, Marine Corps, Pentagon, . Defense, Supreme, Democratic, Navy, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Alabama, United States

☆ A man who runs the web domain for a Russian-allied country says the US military has been accidentally sending him millions of emails for 10 years, including sensitive information like a general's trav
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Dutch business owner is warning that millions of US military emails are being sent to Mali. People are sending sensitive information to the ".ml" instead of ".mil" accounts, he told the FT.Johannes Zuurbier said the emails sent to the Russian ally contained maps and personal records. Johannes Zuurbier, who was contracted to manage Mali's country email domain, said he's been trying to alert the Pentagon to the potential security issue for the last decade, according to The Financial Times. Zuurbier told the FT he's seen around 1,000 emails a day being sent to the wrong domain. US military email accounts also notify personnel if they try sending a message to addresses with the ".ml" domain, and will automatically block the email from being sent, Gorman added.

Persons: Johannes Zuurbier, he's, —, Zuurbier, James McConville, General James Charles McConville, Prabowo Subianto, Eko Siswono, He's, Cmdr, Tim Gorman, Gorman Organizations: Service, Pentagon, Financial Times, US Army, Staff, Indonesian Defense, Anadolu Agency, Getty, White House, Wagner, Kremlin, Defense Department Locations: Mali, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Indonesia, Jakarta, Russia, Malian

☆ A showdown with one senator over hundreds of generals and admirals is set to ripple through the US military
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Waiting to replacing him is Gen. Eric Smith, and he will continue waiting until one senator lifts holds on the promotions of more than 250 generals and admirals. Tuberville's hold targets uniformed military officers over a policy set by the US military's civilian leadership, diverging from the longstanding manner in which members of Congress have expressed displeasure with such policies. Kelsey Dornfeld"Uniformed military officers do not set policy. 'We will lose talent'Maj. Gen. Eric Smith receives his three-star rank insignia during a ceremony in Okinawa in August 2018. "It is the personal development, it is the family understanding and predictability" that will be affected, Adm. John Aquilino, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, told senators in April.

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, David Berger, Eric Smith, Biden, —, Katherine Kuzminski, Sergeant, Marine Corps Troy Black, Kelsey Dornfeld, They're, Kuzminski, Berger, It's, Defense Lloyd Austin III, Austin, that's, Smith, Olivia G, Ortiz, Benjamin Northcutt, Christopher Cavoli, Michael Gilday, Lisa Franchetti, MCS2 La’Cordrick Wilson, John Aquilino, James McConville, McConville, Frank Kendall, Charles Brown Jr, Kendall, Brown, Drew Angerer, Mitch McConnell, Jack Reed's, Defense Lloyd Austin, Mark Milley, Alex Wong, Reed, Elizabeth Warren Organizations: Service, US Marine Corps, Pentagon, Department, US, Military, Veterans, Center, New, New American Security, Marine Corps, Staff, Uniformed, Defense, United States, Washington DC, Senate Armed Services Committee, US Army Europe, US Army, US European Command, NATO's Military, Naval Reactors, US Navy, Pacific Command, " Air Force, Savannah, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Capitol, Republican, CNN, Joint Chiefs Locations: Wall, Silicon, New American, Okinawa, Germany, Cavoli, Pacific, California, South Korea, Alabama

☆ The Marine Corps might not get a confirmed leader for first time in 164 years due to standoff with Republican senator
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Rebecca Kheel | Konstantin Toropin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

On July 10, the Marine Corps may be led an acting commandant for the first time in 164 years. A GOP senator is blocking the next commandant's confirmation over the Pentagon's abortion leave policy. The Justice Department has already conducted a legal analysis of the Pentagon policy. Smith, then commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in September 2018. "It was a spirited discussion, and it took a long time," Kaine said about the committee's closed-door debate on the abortion policy.

Persons: —, David Berger, Jim Stenger, Military.com, Berger's, Eric Smith, Smith, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Read, Stenger, Berger, Chip Somodevilla, Archibald Henderson, Tuberville, Andrew Jones, Joe Manchin, Joni Ernst, Tim Kaine, Kaine, Charles " C.Q, Brown, Mark Milley, James McConville, Mike Gilday, — Rebecca Kheel, — Konstantin Toropin Organizations: Marine Corps, GOP, Service, Corps, Defense Department, Senate, Senate Armed Services, Capitol, Armed Services Committee, stonewall, National Defense, Pentagon, Justice Department, Peace Corps, Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air, Iwakuni, US Marine Corps, Andrew Jones Senators, Marines, Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Twitter Locations: Iowa, Smith

☆ US Army unveils its new 'M10 Booker' infantry assault vehicle that's named after 2 hero soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US Army has unveiled its new "M10 Booker" infantry assault vehicle. The army's newest infantry assault vehicle was announced at a celebration of the Army's 248th birthday at the National Museum of the US Army at Fort Belvoir, according to Army Public Affairs. M10 Booker. The armored assault eventually led to the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, according to Army Public Affairs. The M10 Booker, built by General Dynamics, will allow "light maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries," the Army said.

Persons: Booker, It's, Stevon, Robert D, Booker Stevon, Robert, —, Sergeant Stevon, Staff James McConville, Saddam Hussein's Organizations: US Army, Service, National Museum of, Army Public Affairs, Booker, Staff, US Army Nebraska, Army, 34th Infantry Division, Allied, Public Affairs, General Dynamics, The Defense Locations: Iraq, Fort Belvoir, Tunisia, Fondouk, Desert, Iraqi, Pennsylvania, Baghdad

☆ 4 US military helicopter crashes in recent months have killed 14 service members and injured nearly a couple dozen more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A US military MH-47 Chinook crashed in Syria earlier this week, injuring 22 soldiers. It's the latest helicopter in a string of crashes during non-combat missions to result in casualties. Three other crashes involving US military aircraft this year have killed 14 troops. The Chinook accident followed several previous helicopter crashes earlier this year, which eventually forced the US Army to temporarily ground its aircraft except those participating in critical missions. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Idaho National GuardIn one mid-February incident, two Tennessee Army National Guard pilots were killed when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training flight in Alabama.

Persons: —, Sabrina Singh, Singh, James McConville, McConville Organizations: Service, Central Command, Pentagon, Defense, US Army, UH, Hawk, Guard, Tennessee Army National Guard, Tennessee's Department, Apache, CNN Locations: Syria, CENTCOM's, East, Central, South Asia, Alabama, Kentucky, Alaska

☆ US Army grounds its aircraft after 2 deadly mid-air crashes killed 12 soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US Army has temporarily grounded all its aviation units except those on "critical missions." The order follows two mid-air collisions in Alaska and Kentucky that killed 12 soldiers. Units will remain grounded until they complete extra training, the army said. The suspension is effective immediately and grounds all aircraft except those "participating in critical missions," an Army statement said on Friday, according to the Associated Press. The incident followed another fatal collision in March in which two Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed and killed nine soldiers.

☆ Army Grounds Nonessential Flights After 2 Helicopter Crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( John Ismay | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army said on Friday that it was grounding all Army flights except those needed for critical missions until aviation squadrons complete required training after two deadly helicopter crashes in a month. Units can resume flights after completing the daylong training, which can begin as early as Monday. Active-duty units are required to complete the training by May 5, and Army National Guard and Reserve units will have until May 31. The grounding of flights follows the deaths of 12 soldiers in two separate midair collisions during training missions. Both incidents remain under investigation, and there is no indication of any pattern between the two mishaps, the Army said in its statement.

☆ The US Army has to rename its new rifle after accidentally using the name of another gun
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Steve Beynon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US Army is changing the name of its new rifle after accidentally taking a name from another gun. The light machine gun set to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW, the M250, will not change. "The Army originally chose the designation XM5 as the name of the new rifle in March," a service spokesperson said in a statement. The 6.8mm was seen as a compromise between the light ammo currently used and the 7.62mm ammo used in the M240B machine gun that would be very heavy for a standard rifleman. Soldiers will also use 20-round magazines, a 10-round decrease from the magazines the Army has been using for decades.

☆ US Army general retires without 'reprimand or admonishment' after spat over Tucker Carlson segment about women in the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Steve Beynon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"I retired honorably and without any reprimand or admonishment," Donahoe told Military.com in an interview. Military.com interviewed multiple women Donahoe frequently engaged with on Twitter, none of whom described his behavior as inappropriate. Multiple senior service officials and rank-and-file troops interviewed by Military.com blasted the Army's slow response, saying it suggested women serving at all is inherently political. "So let me be clear: I expect [Army] leaders to stand up for women — and all Soldiers — who are unduly attacked or disrespected." Related: 'The Army Gave a Hunting Permit to Radical Partisans': What a General's Bout with Fox Could Mean for Women

☆ The US Army is reinventing basic training to appeal to Gen Z
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Steve Beynon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The revamp is driven partly by the Army's need to appeal to Gen Z, who are reaching enlistment age. Read Next: Airman Faked Racist Texts Claiming He Was Denied Special Duty, Investigation FindsThe shift follows substantial changes in the Army's physical training. And the revamp is driven partly by the Army's need to appeal to Gen Z, who are now reaching enlistment age. An Army drill instructor with new soldiers. A US Army drill sergeant walks through a formation of recruits at Fort Jackson in South Carolina in November 2019.

☆ The U.S. Army is struggling to find the recruits its needs to win the fight over the future
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

That has also impacted the U.S. Army, which as the largest branch of the U.S. military has a current workforce of 466,400. "Wages have gone up a lot, and that's great for Americans, but it's making it harder for us in the Army to compete." The Army missed its recruitment goal for fiscal 2022 by 25% or 15,000 soldiers, the military service said earlier this month. However, changing the broader propensity of Americans to serve in the military is a challenge that is a much longer-term. The Army also needs to change how parents think about the Army and the risks it poses to children.

☆ Secretary of the Army warns officers to keep 'out of the culture wars' following the investigation of a Major who called out Tucker Carlson
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth warned leaders about engaging in social media at a press conference on Monday. Her comments come after an investigation found Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe's Twitter activity was inappropriate. In 2021, Donahoe criticized a Tucker Carlson segment about efforts to accommodate women soldiers. When only 9% of kids are interested in serving, we have got to make sure that we are careful about not alienating wide swaths of the American public to the Army," Wormuth said. In the segment, Carlson attacked the Defense Department for trying to make military service more accommodating to women by creating maternity uniforms, for example.

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