Latest news with #Mendelsohn
Spectator
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The dangers of toxic femininity
The American critic and classicist Daniel Mendelsohn has just published a new translation of The Odyssey. In his superb introduction, Mendelsohn also does something that many modern translators and critics avoid, which is to point to the oddness and different-ness of Homer's world. For that and many other reasons, reading Mendelsohn's fresh and clear translation was a counterweight to one of the great imperatives of our time: 'Let us look at this long-ago thing only in order to see if it can shed any light on the glorious us and now.' Yet a timeless work remains timeless both because we marvel at the different nature of the world described and because it occasionally tells us things we have forgotten. Which brings me to the Sirens. Every schoolchild knows the story. Odysseus is warned by the goddess Circe of the challenges he will meet on the way home to Ithaca. Among them are the Sirens, whose cry is so beguiling that Odysseus must order his men to stop up their ears with wax as they row past. Odysseus himself must be tied to the mast as they navigate the waters so that while he alone can hear the Sirens, he will not encourage his men to row towards them. Like everyone, I supposed I knew the story, but there is something in the clarity of Mendelsohn's translation which brought a fresh thought to me. The Sirens get only eight lines, but they are enough to make Odysseus risk everything and need tying even more firmly to his ship's mast. I'd never given much thought before to why the song of the Sirens should be so beguiling. I think I imagined their song was merely beautiful, like Wagner's Rhinemaidens. But there is something else. Here is how Mendelsohn renders their song: O Odysseus, rich in praise, great glory of the Acheans, Come hither now, halt your ship and hear the sound of our voice! For no one has ever rowed past us aboard his black-hulled ship Before he's heard the voice from our lips with its honeyed harmonies, But once he has taken his pleasure, he returns knowing so much more. For well we know all the hardships that there, in Troy's sprawling plains, Both the Argives and the Trojans endured through the will of the gods. And we know whatever happens on the earth, which nourishes all. That's it, but enough to make Odysseus lose his self-control. As I read it, I thought of several happenings on our own island. This month parliament debated two pieces of society-changing legislation. One was the decision to extend the date at which women can terminate life in the womb. The other was legislation that means that from now on we may choose the day on which we die. These are interesting priorities for a country. But the debates on extending abortion limits and the introduction of euthanasia came like a pincer movement. On the one hand a woman will be able to abort a child after six months of pregnancy. Meaning that a life that is viable out of the womb may be killed inside it. I happened to be with a friend this week who is six months pregnant, and was horrified that the child she and her husband were already caring for would be deemed good to abort in England and Wales. And while the proposer of the amendment, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, was content with simply allowing women to abort a baby at any point during pregnancy, Stella Creasy MP tried to use the opportunity to enshrine abortion at any stage as a 'human right'. At the other end of the life spectrum, MPs spent the same week voting – and approving – a bill to finally make euthanasia (or 'assisted dying') into another 'human right' in this country. Kim Leadbeater seems to have made it her life mission to retract our lives at the opposite end from Antoniazzi and Creasy. As I have said for many years, there is no country into which euthanasia has been introduced in which the slope from the arena of palliative care has not slipped into the killing of the mentally ill, the young and those who feel they have become a burden on their families or the state. And if anyone in this country thinks the state will be competent to decide who does or does not feel compelled to end their life, they should look at how easy it is just to get a GP appointment. But never mind, because in all these cases the argument and rationale has each time been reduced to 'compassion' and 'understanding'. Leadbeater and Creasy are masters at making speaking and emoting the same thing. Both present their moral arguments – such as they are – in a way in which their faces crumple and voices crack with empathy at all times. Everything is about 'understanding', 'listening', 'speaking for' and 'alleviating' the suffering of others. Which brings me back to the Sirens. Because what is so compelling to Odysseus is that the Sirens' song tells him that on their island, alone, he will be understood. The Sirens promise that they, uniquely, appreciate what he has been through at Troy. They will listen to him and understand him. He, for his part, will achieve one of the greatest of all human desires: to be understood. At risk of making more enemies, let me point out that while we have heard plenty about 'toxic masculinity', there is also such a thing as 'toxic femininity'. This includes the idea that we will be saved and our problems resolved by compassion and empathy, all other judgments and rationales being put to one side. In recent days the meaning, depth and value of life in this country contracted at both ends. Not for any rational reason, but because if we did not we would be lacking understanding and kindness. But the calls are a mirage, and the promises a lie. We'll see who hits the rocks first.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Homelessness Reports Rise Across Dallas, New Efforts Downtown Could Buck The Trend
While homelessness reports continue to rise across Dallas, new downtown initiatives promise to address these concerns. Reports of homelessness to the City of Dallas' 311 line rose 45 percent in three years, according to Fox 4. But Mark Nunneley, chief accounting officer for Ashford Hospitality Trust, told The Dallas Express recent could help downtown counter the trend. Nunneley compiles frequent homeless counts and reports for downtown Dallas and shared the latest report for the Central Business District with The Dallas Express. The latest report showed that homelessness has fallen from recent highs earlier this year. Homelessness peaked at 266 in late February and 209 in late March but fell to 138 in April—though it increased slightly to 158 in May. Most cases occurred in south-central downtown, near St. Paul St. and I-30. Downtown Dallas Inc. – which oversees the Dallas Downtown Improvement District – joined the City of Dallas and Dallas Citizens Council last month to launch Safe In The City, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Safe In The City operates on a 'six-point plan for sustained public safety': higher policing, higher security coordination, more 'rehousing,' an expanded community court, 'de-magnetiz[ing]' homeless hotspots, and expanding 'reentry.' DDI also launched its app several years ago, letting users report 'non-emergency issues' to the 'Downtown Security, Homeless Outreach, and Clean Team.' The app lets residents submit reports and pictures of incidents downtown and text tips to 972-440-1995. According to Nunneley, the See Say app has recently brought promising results. He has used it multiple times to report homeless encampments downtown. 'Every time I've done that, within three or four minutes, the DDI security people are showing up and addressing it,' Nunneley said. 'Sometimes it's like – literally – they're blocks away, and they're there within a minute.' Nunneley said he had used See Say 'all over the downtown area,' including behind the convention center, near Dallas City Hall, and along Cadiz St. and Corsicana St. See Say responders are limited to downtown property – so they cannot resolve issues on city or private property, according to Nunneley. For example, if an encampment was on public library property, they could not remove it. When Nunneley calls 311, the response is 'not immediate,' he said – though 'they are working on trying to improve that.' Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn expressed frustration with Dallas' broader citywide homeless response. As The Dallas Express reported, Mendelsohn is an advocate for homeless reform. 'The residents are so fed up, and they are fed up of hearing homelessness is decreasing when they see it every single day,' Mendelsohn said recently, according to Fox 4. 'They report it, it gets closed and it does not get addressed. These are people who truly need help and it's not happening.' The Dallas Morning News reported that homelessness was down 5% across Dallas and Collin counties since 2024, citing the point-in-time (PIT) count. But, as The Dallas Express reported, PIT counts in places like California sometimes fail to capture reality. Homelessness in cities surrounding Dallas has risen significantly, as The Dallas Express previously reported. The estimated annual cost of homelessness to Dallas taxpayers is $193 million. The Dallas Express got in touch with DDI, but the group did not comment in time for publication.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Homelessness Reports Rise Across Dallas, New Efforts Downtown Could Buck The Trend
While homelessness reports continue to rise across Dallas, new downtown initiatives promise to address these concerns. Reports of homelessness to the City of Dallas' 311 line rose 45 percent in three years, according to Fox 4. But Mark Nunneley, chief accounting officer for Ashford Hospitality Trust, told The Dallas Express recent could help downtown counter the trend. Nunneley compiles frequent homeless counts and reports for downtown Dallas and shared the latest report for the Central Business District with The Dallas Express. The latest report showed that homelessness has fallen from recent highs earlier this year. Homelessness peaked at 266 in late February and 209 in late March but fell to 138 in April—though it increased slightly to 158 in May. Most cases occurred in south-central downtown, near St. Paul St. and I-30. Downtown Dallas Inc. – which oversees the Dallas Downtown Improvement District – joined the City of Dallas and Dallas Citizens Council last month to launch Safe In The City, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Safe In The City operates on a 'six-point plan for sustained public safety': higher policing, higher security coordination, more 'rehousing,' an expanded community court, 'de-magnetiz[ing]' homeless hotspots, and expanding 'reentry.' DDI also launched its app several years ago, letting users report 'non-emergency issues' to the 'Downtown Security, Homeless Outreach, and Clean Team.' The app lets residents submit reports and pictures of incidents downtown and text tips to 972-440-1995. According to Nunneley, the See Say app has recently brought promising results. He has used it multiple times to report homeless encampments downtown. 'Every time I've done that, within three or four minutes, the DDI security people are showing up and addressing it,' Nunneley said. 'Sometimes it's like – literally – they're blocks away, and they're there within a minute.' Nunneley said he had used See Say 'all over the downtown area,' including behind the convention center, near Dallas City Hall, and along Cadiz St. and Corsicana St. See Say responders are limited to downtown property – so they cannot resolve issues on city or private property, according to Nunneley. For example, if an encampment was on public library property, they could not remove it. When Nunneley calls 311, the response is 'not immediate,' he said – though 'they are working on trying to improve that.' Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn expressed frustration with Dallas' broader citywide homeless response. As The Dallas Express reported, Mendelsohn is an advocate for homeless reform. 'The residents are so fed up, and they are fed up of hearing homelessness is decreasing when they see it every single day,' Mendelsohn said recently, according to Fox 4. 'They report it, it gets closed and it does not get addressed. These are people who truly need help and it's not happening.' The Dallas Morning News reported that homelessness was down 5% across Dallas and Collin counties since 2024, citing the point-in-time (PIT) count. But, as The Dallas Express reported, PIT counts in places like California sometimes fail to capture reality. Homelessness in cities surrounding Dallas has risen significantly, as The Dallas Express previously reported. The estimated annual cost of homelessness to Dallas taxpayers is $193 million. The Dallas Express got in touch with DDI, but the group did not comment in time for publication.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vivani Medical to Present at the 2025 BIO International Convention
ALAMEDA, Calif., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vivani Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: VANI) (the 'Company' or 'Vivani'), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing miniature, ultra long-acting drug implants, announced today that CEO Adam Mendelsohn, Ph.D., will present a company overview and conduct partnering meetings at the 2025 BIO International Convention, taking place from June 16-19, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. Details around Dr. Mendelsohn's presentation are as follows: Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Time: 9:00 am, Eastern Time Location: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Room 153A Dr. Mendelsohn will highlight Vivani's innovative, miniature drug implants, powered by its proprietary NanoPortal™ drug implant technology. These ultra long-acting implants are designed to address poor medication adherence and improve patient outcomes in chronic disease management. Vivani's lead program, NPM-115, is a six-month GLP-1 (exenatide) implant under development for chronic weight management in obese or overweight individuals. Results from LIBERATE-1™, the first human clinical trial of NPM-115, are expected later this year. More information about the BIO International Convention can be found at About Vivani Medical, Inc. Leveraging its proprietary NanoPortal™ platform, Vivani develops biopharmaceutical implants designed to deliver drug molecules steadily over extended periods of time with the goal of guaranteeing adherence, and potentially to improve patient tolerance to their medication. Vivani's lead programs, NPM-139 (semaglutide implant) and NPM-115 (exenatide implant), are miniature, subdermal GLP-1 implants under development for chronic weight management in obese or overweight patients designed for once- or twice-yearly administration. Vivani's emerging pipeline also includes NPM-119, which refers to the Company's six-month, subdermal, GLP-1 (exenatide implant) under development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Development of a semaglutide implant for the treatment of type 2 diabetes is also under consideration. These NanoPortal implants are designed to provide patients with the opportunity to experience the full potential benefit of their medication by avoiding the challenges associated with the daily or weekly administration of oral and injectable medications. Medication non-adherence occurs when patients do not take their medication as prescribed. This affects an alarming number of patients, approximately 50%, including those taking daily pills. Medication non-adherence, which contributes to more than $500 billion in annual avoidable healthcare costs and 125,000 potentially preventable deaths annually in the U.S. alone, is a primary and daunting reason why obese or overweight patients, and patients taking type 2 diabetes or other chronic disease treatments, face significant challenges in achieving positive real-world effectiveness. While the current GLP-1 landscape includes over 50 new molecular entities under clinical stage development, Vivani remains confident that its highly differentiated portfolio of miniature, ultra long-acting GLP-1 implants have the potential to provide an attractive therapeutic option for patients, prescribers and payers. For more information, please visit: Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: 'target,' 'believe,' 'expect,' 'will,' 'may,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'would,' 'positioned,' 'potential,' 'future,' and other similar expressions that in this press release, including statements regarding Vivani's business, products in development, including the therapeutic potential thereof, the planned development therefor, the completion of the LIBERATE-1 trial and reporting of trial results, Vivani's emerging development plans for Vivani's products, including NPM-115, NPM-139, NPM-119, and Vivani's technology, strategy, cash position and financial runway. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on Vivani's current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of Vivani's control. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, risks related to the development and commercialization of Vivani's products, including NPM-115, NPM-139, and NPM-119; delays and changes in the development of Vivani's products, including as a result of applicable laws, regulations and guidelines, potential delays in submitting and receiving regulatory clearance or approval to conduct Vivani's development activities; risks related to the initiation, enrollment and conduct of Vivani's planned clinical trials and the results therefrom; Vivani's history of losses and Vivani's ability to access additional capital or otherwise fund Vivani's business; market conditions and the ability of Cortigent to complete its intended spin-off from the Company. There may be additional risks that the Company considers immaterial, or which are unknown. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed on March 31, 2025, as updated by the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statement made by Vivani in this press release is based only on information currently available to the Company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of added information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Company Contact:Donald DwyerChief Business Officerinfo@ 506-8462 Investor Relations Contact:Jami TaylorInvestor Relations Advisorinvestors@ 506-8462 Media Contact:Sean LeousICR 866-4012Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vantagepoint A.I. Announces Massive ETF Expansion with 70+ New Funds Across 10 Additional Sectors
Revolutionary expansion delivers predictive forecasting across crypto, emerging markets, A.I. & robotics, and seven other high-demand sectors as ETF trading reaches unprecedented popularity among investors worldwide. WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla., June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vantagepoint A.I., LLC, ( - VantagePoint A.I., the pioneer in artificial intelligence-driven market forecasting technology, today announced a groundbreaking expansion of its ETF coverage within its award-winning software platform. This monumental enhancement adds over 70 new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) across 10 additional sectors, bringing the total forecasting capability to 19 comprehensive ETF sectors and positioning traders to capitalize on the explosive growth in ETF popularity. As ETFs continue their meteoric rise among both institutional and retail traders, VantagePoint's A.I. expansion arrives at the perfect moment. The enhanced coverage now encompasses critical sectors including: Emerging Markets Technology Industry A.I. & Robotics Semiconductors Healthcare & Biotech Financial Services Bond & Fixed Income Oil and Clean Energy Real Estate Crypto Among the notable additions, the BTCW WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund stands out as a game-changing inclusion for alternative asset traders seeking exposure to cryptocurrency markets through traditional ETF structures. Similarly, the SCHE Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF provides crucial international exposure in today's interconnected global marketplace, offering traders unprecedented opportunities to diversify and capitalize on worldwide market movements. "This expansion represents the most significant enhancement to our platform in years, and it couldn't come at a more critical time," said Lane Mendelsohn, President of Vantagepoint A.I. "ETFs have fundamentally transformed how traders access markets, and our A.I. technology now provides predictive insights across virtually every major sector and asset class. We're giving traders the ability to forecast movements in everything from emerging market equities to cryptocurrency funds with the same proven accuracy that has defined our platform for over three decades." Mendelsohn emphasized the strategic importance of this development: "The beauty of ETFs lies in their accessibility and diversification, but their complexity makes them challenging to predict using traditional analysis. Our neural network technology excels in this environment, analyzing hundreds of interrelated global markets to identify potential ETF movements 1 - 3 days before they occur." VantagePoint software's proprietary Intermarket Analysis approach examines the intricate relationships between global markets, currencies, and commodities to forecast ETF price movements with remarkable precision. This advanced methodology is particularly valuable in today's ETF landscape, where traditional technical analysis often falls short due to the multitude of external influences affecting these diversified instruments. The enhanced ETF forecasting capabilities leverage VantagePoint's A.I. proven neural network technology, which now achieves up to 87.4% proven accuracy in predicting market movements— validated through rigorous third-party testing and refined through more than $10 million in R&D investment over the past decade alone. The expanded ETF coverage is available to be added immediately for all VantagePoint A.I. users as part of the company's ongoing commitment to providing traders with the most comprehensive market forecasting tools. This update positions traders to navigate the complex dynamics of modern ETF markets with unprecedented precision and confidence. For more information about VantagePoint A.I. software or to schedule a free demonstration of the new ETF forecasting capabilities, visit or call 1-800-732-5407. About Vantagepoint AI, LLC. What separates VantagePoint from other trading tools is its unparalleled longevity and proven effectiveness across decades of market conditions. Since pioneering neural network market forecasting in 1991, VantagePoint has continuously refined its artificial intelligence algorithms through more than $10 million in R&D investment over the past decade alone. This commitment to innovation has resulted in our patented technology achieving up to 87.4% proven accuracy in predicting market movements 1-3 days in advance. Now applied to even more ETFs, this forecasting power enables traders to navigate the complex interrelationships between global supply chains, geopolitical events, and macroeconomic factors with unprecedented precision, giving you the same technological edge that has helped over 47,000 traders worldwide. Vantagepoint A.I. was the first company in the world to offer traders the power of artificial intelligence for their home computers. The company's patented Intermarket Analysis approach to market forecasting uses neural networks to analyze the global interconnectedness of markets, providing traders with predictive forecasts up to three days in advance with proven accuracy of up to 87.4%. Family-owned and headquartered in Wesley Chapel, Florida, Vantagepoint A.I. remains at the forefront of trading software innovation. Media contact: Jordan Youtz, jordany@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE VantagePoint Software
