Tony Hertz Captures Intimate Phone Portrait of Late Dog Lolly

Heartfelt Tribute Captured on a PhoneVeteran photographer Tony Hertz turned a simple sunset walk in Pismo Beach, California, into a poignant farewell to his 15‑year‑old chow‑chow‑cocker spaniel mix, Lolly. The phone‑taken portrait, framed by their shadows, now stands as the centerpiece of his latest personal series.How Hertz Composed the Shadowed Portrait of LollyWhile resting on a bench beside a Walmart, Hertz noticed Lolly’s silhouette looking directly at him. He positioned his phone so it stayed hidden in the shadow, aligned their profiles to face each other, and captured the moment. His signature brimmed hat added a noir‑like consistency to the composition.Three Decades of High‑Profile PortraitureCareer span: 30 yearsSubjects: queens, popes, a presidentRecent focus: shadow‑based series and personal narrativesDespite a distinguished portfolio, this image marks a shift toward more intimate, everyday subjects.Personal Loss Fuels Creative ReflectionLolly passed away in November from chronic kidney failure, leaving a void in Hertz’s home. He says the photograph “reminds me of the love I felt for my faithful companion,” highlighting how grief can inspire artistic expression.What This Means for Intimate Mobile PhotographyHertz’s approach demonstrates that high‑impact storytelling no longer requires expensive gear. As more creators turn to smartphones for authentic moments, such personal narratives may reshape expectations for portraiture in the digital age.

Lead: A Fresh Lens on Evolutionary TheoryThe Guardian’s review of Rowan Hooper’s Togetherness praises the book for reframing evolution from a ruthless struggle to a network of collaborative relationships that underpin life on Earth. Hooper’s Argument for Symbiosis Over CompetitionHooper contends that the classic Darwinian narrative—popularised by Herbert Spencer’s “survival of the fittest”—over‑emphasises competition because it was forged in a colonial, capitalist era. He draws on modern research to show that cooperation, from lichens to coral reefs, is the default state of most organisms. Lichens: a partnership of fungi, algae, and sometimes cyanobacteria that thrives from tundra to rainforest.Coral reefs: cnidarians hosting photosynthetic algae; bleaching occurs when warming waters break this symbiosis.Mycorrhizal fungi: essential for nutrient uptake in most land plants.Microbiome: gut bacteria produce the neurotransmitter serotonin and protect against disease. Numbers Highlighting Ecological StakesThe review cites concrete data that underscore the fragility of these partnerships: Coral reefs have declined by half since the mid‑20th century due to bleaching.The book retails at £25, positioning it as an accessible yet scholarly work. Implications for Evolutionary Science and ConservationBy foregrounding symbiosis, Hooper aligns with biologist Lynn Margulis’s endosymbiotic theory, which reshaped our understanding of cellular evolution. The review argues that embracing cooperation can reshape public discourse, policy, and conservation strategies, urging a shift from competition‑driven exploitation to ecosystem stewardship. Future Directions for Research and Public PerceptionHooper predicts that as the scientific community continues to uncover interdependent mechanisms—such as the “wood wide web” of forest fungi—educational narratives will increasingly celebrate collaboration. This could foster broader support for biodiversity protection and inspire new interdisciplinary research linking genetics, ecology, and sociology.

The Sensory Feast of 'The Artist' Lucy Steeds's evocative novel, 'The Artist', is set over a summer in Provence in 1920, where the landscape shimmers, the cicadas hum, and "sunlight radiates from the yellow fields". Steeds' book is as much a sensory as literary experience as the listener is immersed in the heady smell of turpentine and the pungent stink of still life fruit and fish arrangements deliberately left to rot in the Provençal heat. The Story Unfolds When a British journalist named Joseph Adelaide tracks down a reclusive artist to his remote farmhouse in the south of France, his plan is to interview him for a magazine profile. Edouard Tartuffe is a revered painter who was taught by Cézanne and is known on the Parisian art scene as the “Master of Light”. But then he retreated from the limelight amid rumours of a feud with his former mentor. The Characters Come Alive Tartuffe – known as Tata – now lives with his 27-year-old niece, Ettie, and is blind in one eye. Joseph quickly learns that Tata also has an explosive temper and rules the household with an iron fist. The reader, Tanya Reynolds, imbues the mystery of the brutish Tata and his withdrawal from the world with atmosphere and slow-burning tension. Further Listening Recommendations SanctuaryMarina Warner, William Collins, 12hr 56min A moving essay series on the places we choose to live. Subtitled Ways of Telling, Ways of Dwelling, Warner’s book explores the concept of human refuge and shelter from the ancient world to the present day. Read by the author. Am I Having Fun Now?Suzi Ruffell, Bluebird, 8hr 54min The standup comic and podcaster’s book is part memoir about growing up as a working-class queer woman and part self-help manual on how to navigate life, from education and employment to parenthood, as an anxious person.

The Devastating Attack on Kyiv A large overnight Russian missile and drone barrage has killed at least nine people across Ukraine, knocked out electricity to 140,000 households and ignited a major fire at the Dormition Cathedral within the UNESCO-listed Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery complex. Damage to Historic Landmarks The assault, which struck multiple cities, including the capital, marked one of the most destructive aerial bombardments on Kyiv’s cultural and civilian infrastructure in months, Ukrainian officials said on Monday. In Kyiv, emergency services battled a fire that broke out early on Monday on the roof of the 11th-century Dormition Cathedral, the spiritual heart of Ukrainian Orthodoxy. The Impact on Cultural Heritage Maksym Ostapenko, director general of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Preserve, told Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne that a Russian kamikaze drone made a direct hit on the cathedral’s roof, engulfing roughly 800sq metres (8,600sq ft) in flames. The Ministry of Culture reported that the barrage also heavily damaged the nearby Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studios, destroying its primary costume repository and incinerating an irreplaceable collection of roughly 100,000 garments. Consequences and Reactions Metropolitan Epiphanius I, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, condemned the attack on the cathedral in a post on X as “a crime against humanity, against history, and against Christianity”. First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko added that the destruction exposed “the true face of Russia’s Orthodox values”. The Human Toll Local monitoring channels reported that Moscow deployed dozens of Shahed kamikaze drones and at least 15 high-speed ballistic missiles towards Kyiv alone. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said about 20 people were wounded in the capital, including a child and a pregnant woman, as residential high-rises took direct hits across the Obolonskyi, Solomianskyi and Pecherskyi districts. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, a “double-tap” strike killed five State Emergency Service rescuers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. The first responders were targeted by a second drone attack while extinguishing a fire caused by an initial missile strike minutes earlier. At least five additional first responders were injured in the second blast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Match Highlights In a thrilling World Cup match, Japan managed to secure a win with a late goal, while Germany showcased their prowess with a seven-goal performance. Japan's Dramatic Victory Japan's late goal stunned fans and secured a crucial three points for the team. The match was intense, with both teams displaying exceptional skill and determination. Germany's Seven-Goal Performance Germany's victory was marked by an impressive seven goals, showcasing their strength and strategy on the field. The team's performance was a testament to their skill and teamwork, leaving a lasting impression on fans and critics alike. Impact on the World Cup Standings The outcomes of these matches have significant implications for the World Cup standings, with Japan and Germany's positions being affected by their respective wins.

The Announcement UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that the government will ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16. This move is part of a broader effort to protect children from the potential harms of social media, including cyberbullying, exposure to dangerous content, and addiction. The Reasoning Behind the Ban Starmer emphasized that this decision is not taken lightly, but believes it is a necessary step to ensure the well-being and safety of children. He noted that social media can have negative effects on children's mental health, and that it can be a source of addiction, preventing them from engaging in more beneficial activities like reading, playing outside, or doing their homework. The Opposition and Enforcement Starmer acknowledged that some technology companies may oppose this ban, but he emphasized that the government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, particularly children. He also mentioned that the government will take 'world-leading' action on gaming services and live streaming platforms, where strangers can currently contact children unchecked. The Future Outlook This ban is seen as a significant step in the UK's efforts to regulate social media and protect its citizens, particularly children. It remains to be seen how this ban will be enforced and what the impact will be on social media companies and users.

The Uninvited Guests Walking through Ballaugh Curraghs, a marshland in the north of the island, I’m taking part in a favourite island pastime: spotting red-necked wallabies. Creeping through the stands of willows, I soon see a grey shape with beady eyes and pricked up ears watching me, unafraid. Another appears and I check for the ultimate sighting … a joey poking out from a pouch, but without success. It’s a rare sight even here. The Impact on the Environment These marsupials have changed this area beyond recognition. They arrived in the 1960s after a few escaped from a nearby wildlife park, and even by 2006 their footprint was light enough that the “curraghs” were declared a wetland site of international importance. Today, though, it would struggle to qualify, as so many key species have been eaten or disturbed by the 800 or so wallabies that now dominate. The Hidden Dangers To many Manx residents they are lovable creatures. Wallaby pictures appear in social media posts, and are featured in journals worldwide. But their popularity is on the wane, as people learn the downside of their numbers. Cute wallabies are vectors of toxoplasmosis, a parasite that can cause spontaneous abortion in women, while liver fluke has been found in postmortems of animals hit by cars. A string of accidents caused by people swerving to avoid wallabies has been reported, and the fear of one hopping in front of a high-speed TT rider is a nightmare for race organisers. The Future of the Island's Ecosystem Their effect on the natural environment is also a concern. The part of the curraghs I walked through is dense willow, but the understorey of rare plants including royal fern and common wintergreen was absent, nibbled to the soil. I should have seen vegetation below a metre, ivy, angelica and meadowsweet, but saw none. Nearby, a huge field that used to host a winter roost of more than 100 hen harriers was recently found to have hundreds of wallabies grazing nightly, while the birds are gone. Nor are the wallabies themselves thriving despite their growing population, suffering from inbreeding and a poor diet. A Management Plan for the Future What can be done? Manx Wildlife Trust is putting together a management policy that balances animal welfare, economic concerns and local ecosystems, but one thing’s for sure, our island’s wallabies are likely here to stay.

The Unexpected DiscoveryAn insect which was captured in a coalpit near Wigan has been sent to me. The son of the collier who found it took it to his schoolmaster, who forwarded it to me for identification. It is a male sirex juvencus, one of the tailed wasps or saw-flies, and it was introduced into the pit probably as a grub in one of the props.The Life Cycle of the Wood-Boring WaspThe female sirex lays her eggs in fir or pine trees, and the maggots do considerable damage by boring tunnels in the wood; they will attack sound wood, though Miss Eleanor Anne Ormerod was of opinion that the trees which were attacked were generally past their prime.Related Species and Geographic DistributionThere is a larger and very handsome fly, sirex gigas, which is perhaps better known than this species. One authority declares that the smaller sirex is more abundant in England than the large one, but a more recent writer says that the reverse is the case, although the small species is abundant on the continent.Global Trade and Invasive SpeciesIt is probable, owing to the fact that wood for pit-props is imported, that the insect came from abroad. I have seen several insects found in mines introduced in wood, amongst them a very fine longicorn beetle, which has exceedingly long antennae.Historical Context of Entomological DiscoveriesThis discovery from 1906 represents an important moment in the documentation of insect species and their migration patterns. The find highlights how human activities like mining and international trade can inadvertently transport species across their natural habitats.

The AI Layoff Wave Something strange is happening in tech right now. Companies are posting record profits and revenue while laying off tens of thousands of people, citing AI as the official explanation. So far this year, there have been an estimated 363 layoffs at tech companies, affecting nearly 150,000 people — a pace of about 974 people per day, 44% faster than last year — according to TrueUp, a tech job board and recruiting platform. The Layoff Numbers Tech layoffs hit their highest single month in two years last month, with nearly 40,000 cuts. AI was the most-cited reason for layoffs across every industry for the third month running, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Grey & Christmas. The Skepticism There’s growing skepticism that AI is really the culprit, though — that it’s more of a convenient cover story than the actual cause. Few examples illustrate the pushback better than what happened at Block earlier this year. After getting hammered over laying off nearly half of Block earlier this year, citing AI as the reason, Jack Dorsey denied the cuts were a sign of trouble at the payments company. The Data Analysis Early last month, AI chipmaker Cerebras Systems closed its first day on the Nasdaq up 68% from its $185 IPO price, giving the chipmaker a market cap of roughly $67 billion — the largest US tech IPO since Snowflake’s 2020 debut. SpaceX meanwhile went public on Friday and enjoys, as of this writing, a $2.1 trillion market cap, turning Musk into a paper trillionaire and potentially minting an estimated 4,400 millionaires, and around 400 centimillionaires in the process. The Impact Analysis Set against that backdrop, Mark Zuckerberg’s latest purchase takes on new meaning. In early March, he purchased a $170 million mansion on Miami’s “Billionaire Bunker” — setting the all-time record for the most expensive home sale in Miami-Dade County history. Two months later, Meta announced it would lay off 8,000 people, or roughly 10% of its workforce. The Prediction Taken together, this isn’t just a story about job losses in isolation. It’s tens of thousands of laid-off tech workers hitting an unusually unforgiving cost environment at the same time that tens of thousands of AI insiders are seeing once-in-a-generation paper wealth materialize. If the optics of 2008 were, “We’re bailing out the people who broke the economy while you lose your job,” the optics here could end up being, “We’re getting richer than ever, off the very tech we’re using to replace you.”