Delia Paunescu
As seen in:
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writer, producer, etc. | now @madebymonks_ | once @voxdotcom @nymag @nowthis @nypost @brutamerica • expert couch napper
Articles by Delia Paunescu
We have the mugshot
Former President Trump surrendered to Fulton County authorities in his Georgia 2020 election case. Leinz Vales, Aditi Sangal, Sara Murray, and Tierney Sneed covered the situation for CNN Politics. From there, Amy B Wang reported in The Washington Post that Trump’s mug shot was released after his booking.
Featured journalist: Kingsley Ogar
Today's featured journalist is Kingsley Ogar, a sports presenter with Wazobia FM based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Ogar primarily covers sports (specifically Pidgin commentary) and occasionally dabbles in health, entertainment, and lifestyle reporting.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president born in a hospital. Which (if any) of the presidents elected after Carter were not born in a hospital? Answer: Ronald Reagan was born in an apartment in Tampico, Illinois, and George H. W. Bush was born at home in Milton, Massachusetts. The other five were born in hospitals. Congratulations to…David Daniel, the first reader to tweet both correct answers. Peter Roff, Wendie Owen, and Amy Zipkin each got half the answer right.
Climate change
“Good lord,” Victor Lipman exclaimed after learning that the richest Americans account for 40 percent of U.S. climate emissions.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: How did sriracha sauce company Huy Fong Foods get its name? Answer: Founder David Tran named it after the Huey Fong freighter that had brought him to the United States in 1979 as a part of the migration of the Vietnamese boat people following the Vietnam War. In February 1980, he incorporated Huy Fong Foods, Inc., and by 1987, the business was so successful he relocated it to a 68,000-square-foot building that once housed toymaker Wham-O.
Featured journalist: Caitlin Weaver
Today's featured journalist is Caitlin Weaver, a freelance writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. With 15+ years of experience in human resources and talent management as well as a background in industrial & organizational psychology, it makes sense that Weaver's writing currently focuses on business, employee experience, leadership, and talent management. She also writes quite a bit about managing talent of a different type...her two young boys.
State politics
In the Washington Post, Glenn Kessler looked into Tommy Tuberville and wondered if he’s Florida’s third senator? Philip Rucker explained, “Tommy Tuberville may represent Alabama in the Senate -- but he lives in Florida. Specifically, Tuberville lives in the Wiregrass region of Alabama, which borders Florida.
Featured journalist: Shefali Malhotra
Today's featured journalist is Shefali Malhotra, a freelance journalist and researcher based in Gurgaon, India. Malhotra covers stories primarily related to health, science, and technology as it impacts society in low- and middle-income countries. Her work has appeared in Nature, The Toronto Star, bmj.com, Mint, Firstpost, Business Standard, Financial Express, Science Magazine, BQ Prime, The Wire (India), and more.
Featured journalist: Alan Darty
Today's featured journalist is Alan Darty, a freelance publisher covering sports and travel. Darty is particularly focused on golf, or, as he puts it, "covering the South Like the Dew." That's what you'll find if you (X?) even though he says he prefers Instagram. Having gotten his start in journalism as a high school sports radio color commentary announcer, he offers this advice to today's aspiring journalists: "Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity.
R.I.P. Tony Bennett
AP News reported that Tony Bennett, a “masterful stylist of American musical standards,” has died at age 96. In the Washington Post, Matt Schudel eulogized Bennett as the singing star with an enduring second act. And for the New York Times, Bruce Weber remembered him as a Champion of the Great American Songbook. Here’s how various Muck Rack journalists remembered the iconic singer: Eric Martin: “Tony Bennett, teaching us how to keeping singing and making music well into your 90s.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: The first shoe Christian Louboutin decorated with his signature red sole was a prototype with design elements inspired by what artist? Answer: The shoe had a buckle that was inspired by a flower from Andy Warhol’s “Flowers” series. He felt like it was missing something, and then he saw his assistant painting her nails red.
Featured journalist: Elise Armitage
Today's featured journalist is Elise Armitage, founder of the What the Fab travel blog. Based in San Francisco, California, she also covers fashion and lifestyle content and serves as a syndicated travel writer for MSN. In addition, Armitage's work has appeared in Savoteur, The Greeneville Sun, The Indiana Gazette, The Chronicle-Tribune, Mini Travellers, and more.
Double strike
As soon as the SGA strike was announced yesterday, stars Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt left the Oppenheimer premiere, BBC reported straight from director Christopher Nolan. Over at the Wall Street Journal, Mark Miller writes that Bob Iger Isn’t Having Much Fun. Amol Sharma added, “Eight months into his return as Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger is straining to put out fire after fire — from streaming to animation to theme parks.
Featured journalist: Martin Kinyanjui Ngugi
Today's featured journalist is Martin Kinyanjui Ngugi, the Online Sub Editor for the Nation Media Group, which includes the Nation.Africa website and The East African, a regional paper. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Ngugi primarily covers politics, conflict, and climate change. He's also guided bureau reporters in devolution reporting and content strategy for regional stories from the East African region and is skilled in multimedia editing.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Where did Ramones bass player Dee Dee Ramone (born Douglas Colvin) get the idea for the band’s name, which all the members also adopted as their last names? Answer: He suggested it after reading that Paul McCartney often checked into hotels under the name “Paul Ramone.” Congratulations to…Dan Rosenbaum, the first reader to tweet the correct answer. Carol Reynolds tweeted the right answer just 3 minutes later. Great job! What is the world’s lightest known material?
Free Evan
In the latest Updates on Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reminds us that their reporter was detained in Russia on March 29 and accused of espionage, making him the first American journalist detained in the country on such charges since the Cold War. WSJ’s editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said, “Today we mark an unhappy date.
Featured journalist: Pierre Claver Niyonkuru
Today's featured journalist is Pierre Claver Niyonkuru, who works for Voice of America's (VOA) Central African Division between Kigali, Rwanda, and Arusha, Tanzania. With more than 17 years of active experience, Niyonkuru primarily covers human rights issues and the refugee crisis within the East African community and Great Lakes region of Africa. Besides VOA, Niyonkuru's work has appeared in SOS Media Burundi, IWACU (Burundi), Media Latitudes, and Channel Africa (Zimbabwe).
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Who is the “Frankie” referenced in the band name Frankie Goes to Hollywood? Answer: It’s Frank Sinatra. The name was inspired by the headline of a New Yorker article about Sinatra relocating from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Congratulations to…Amy Zipkin, the first reader to tweet the correct answer. Billionaire tech bros Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg agreed to cage fight each other but had to call the whole thing off for what reason?
Supreme Court strikes again
That sentiment comes from Matthew Trevithick. On the final day of the SCOTUS term, the Court rejected President Biden's plan to wipe away $400 billion in student loans. According to AP News, the 6-3 decision said the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loans for millions of Americans and effectively killed the $400 billion plan. Yesterday, the same Court ruled that colleges must stop considering the race of applicants for admission.
Featured journalist: Mustasinur Rahman Alvi
Today's featured journalist is Mustasinur Rahman Alvi, a freelance photojournalist based in Bangladesh. Alvi primarily works with ZUMA Press, Europa Press, andthe International Photo Agency covering environmental and climate change stories, as well as breaking news and culture. Having started in documentary photography in 2015, he loves traveling to rural and urban areas to document the daily lives of residents and has completed multiple assignments from NGOs photographing humanitarian projects.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Food & Wine magazine launched as a supplement inside what other magazine? Answer: It first appeared as a supplement in the March 1978 issue of Playboy, featuring “George Plimpton, Miriam Ungerer, Jacques Pepin, James Beard, Gael Greene, and an ad for Johnny Carson’s clothing line.” F&W became a standalone magazine two months later. Congratulations to…Annie Dance, who was the first reader to get this one right. Ron Casalotti tweeted the right answer 1 minute later.
Featured journalist: Tina Charisma
Today's featured journalist is Tina Charisma, a freelance writer who splits her time between Accra, Atlanta, and London. Charisma focuses on "culturally relevant perspectives" across industries, writing stories about people and places that shape and innovate the world from social-political contexts, global development, entertainment, culture, and technology. Her work has appeared on and. To learn more about Charisma, read some of her work right here.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Where did Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones meet each other in person for the first time? Answer: They met for the first time in real life when they appeared on an episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” 37 years after their characters were first introduced on “Star Wars.” While they don’t actually appear together on screen in “The Big Bang Theory” either, they did finally meet in person behind the scenes.
Today's featured journalist is Lynn-Linzer Kibebe, a national correspondent with The …
Today's featured journalist is Lynn-Linzer Kibebe, a national correspondent with The Kenya Times. Based in the capital, Nairobi, she covers everything from education to fashion, food and dining to politics, and even disability matters and tech. A versatile and resolute journalist, Kibebe highlights her keen eye for detail and deep understanding of human interest issues - both of which drive her passion to cover these stories.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: The chief economist for one of the top Nordic banks is blaming what for Sweden’s higher than expected inflation in May? Answer: Michael Grahn, chief economist for Sweden at Danske Bank, is blaming it on Béyonce. He says the start of her world tour in Stockholm “seems to have colored inflation” after tens of thousands of fans flocked to the capital for her concerts. It “probably” accounted for 0.2 of the 0.3 percentage points added to inflation by hotels and restaurant prices.
It really happened
The Justice Department Charged Donald Trump in its Documents Case. According to Alan Feuer, Maggie Haberman, William K. Rashbaum, and Benjamin Protess in the New York Times report that there are seven counts against the former president including conspiracy to obstruct and willful retention of documents, and false statements.
Featured journalist: Deborah Wilker
Today's featured journalist is Deborah Wilker, an entertainment journalist based in Los Angeles, California. Wilker's work primarily appears in The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard but she's also been featured in and, among others. A former professional athlete, Wilker now focuses on theater, live music, power lists, and obits.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: What vegetable was first grown commercially under the name Asparation? Answer: It’s broccolini. The hybrid vegetable is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli and was first grown commercially in Mexico as “Asparation.” When Asparation came to the U.S. in 1996, it was marketed under the more appetizing name “broccolini.” Congratulations to…Carol Reynolds, who was the first reader to get this one right. Only two others answered correctly.
A sprawling case against Trump
According to CNN, Trump’s attorneys haven't found the classified Iran document the former president is heard referring to on tape following his subpoena. Kaitlan Collins, Paula Reid, and Katelyn Polantz report that although the former president is heard on tape referring to the U.S. military document during a July 2021 meeting at his golf course in New Jersey, they were unable to locate the document itself.
Muck Rack
AP News reports that a judge temporarily halted South Carolina's new stricter abortion law until the state Supreme Court can review. The new law wants to ban most abortions around six weeks of pregnancy. At the Washington Post, Kim Bellware wrote about Caitlin Bernard, who performed 10-year-old rape victim's abortion, and now faces a hearing with Indiana's medical licensing board.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Who is Bluetooth technology named after? Answer: It’s named after King Harald I. Nicknamed “Bluetooth,” Harald was an ancient Viking king who unified Denmark and Norway.
Starting off with politics
According to Rachel Siegel and Jeff Stein at the Washington Post the world watches in disbelief and horror as the U.S. nears a possible default. According to them, finance ministers gathered in Japan for G7 specifically asked Treasury Secretary Janet L.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Who are the only mother-daughter duo to earn Oscar nominations for the same film? Answer: It’s Diane Ladd and Laura Dern, who were both nominated in 1991 for their roles in “Rambling Rose.” Congratulations to…Lorraine Berry, who was the first reader to get this one right. Round of applause for the six others who also answered correctly. Who created the world-famous Jumpman logo?
Featured journalist: Tufail Ganie
Today's featured journalist is Tufail Ganie, a freelance multimedia journalist based in Srinagar, Kashmir. His experience extends cross-platform to include writing, photography, and videography on a variety of topics like culture, agriculture, transportation, sports, and the environment. His work has appeared in Ground Report. "I am passionate about delivering impactful stories through my work.
Back in a big way
According to The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell, Trump’s team is reveling in their town hall victory as CNN’s staff rages at what they’re calling a “spectacle of lies.” Many CNN staffers were apparently upset that the network “gave Trump a platform to lie to a large audience” and embarrass the network. “Trump told CNN chief Chris Licht backstage before the town hall that he would boost their ratings — to which Licht nodded and said he should ‘have fun’ per ppl familiar,” Hugo Lowell wrote.
Featured journalist: Mark Toth
Today's featured journalist is Mark Toth, a national security and foreign policy writer who frequently contributes to The Hill. Toth's career began in economics and entrepreneurship. He's also worked in banking, insurance, publishing, and global commerce and formerly served as a board member of the World Trade Center, St. Louis. His experience extends to diplomatic and military communities around the world, including London, Tel Aviv, Augsburg, and Nagoya.
Question of the Day
via The Academy Awards on GIPHY Yesterday we asked: Cher has famously worked with designer Bob Mackie throughout her career. Where did they first meet? Answer: They met when Cher appeared with Sonny Bono on The Carol Burnett Show, where Mackie served as costume designer.
Remembering Jordan Neely
For Curbed, Bridget Read looked into Jordan Neely’s Life As a Michael Jackson Impersonator Sukjong Hong added, “Remembering Jordan Neely for his talent, his dancing, in the eyes of his Michael Jackson ‘fanmily’ of fellow tribute artists.” At Gothamist, David Brand wrote Who was Jordan Neely? Friends recall ‘sweet kid,’ talented performer killed in subway chokehold.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: What pop singer did Britain’s King Charles once ask to sing to his plants? Answer: That’s Katy Perry, who was appointed an ambassador of The British Asian Trust by then-Prince Charles in 2020. In addition to promising to sing to his plants, she’s slated to perform at his coronation concert this weekend. Congratulations to…Patrick McGeehan, who was the first reader to get this one right. Round of applause for the five others who also answered correctly.
More media layoffs
“The pain in digital media continues,” Mike Brice said having heard the news that Vice Media canceled its flagship “Vice News Tonight” program, laid off 100 people, and was restructuring the company. “The cuts at Vice's news operation will result in dozens of people losing their jobs, with the DC bureau being hit especially hard, I'm told. The audio team is being eliminated entirely. The company is also trimming budgets, including travel, to save money,” Oliver Darcy explained.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: What film was marketed in Sweden as “The film that’s so funny, it was banned in Norway”? Answer: That’s Monty Python’s “Life Of Brian.” No joke, the film actually was banned in Norway for 28 years, until the ban was lifted in 2008. Congratulations to…Amy Zipkin, who was the first reader to get this one right. Only three others also answered correctly.
Today's featured journalist is Jayro Sánchez. Based in Spain, Sánchez works for El …
Today's featured journalist is Jayro Sánchez. Based in Spain, Sánchez works for and. He primarily covers local news in Madrid and is a fan of poetry. To learn more about him, read some of his work right here.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: Randomness is important for secure encryption, but since computers aren’t great at generating it, what does Cloudflare, the company that provides web security services for a significant amount of international web traffic, use as a source for random data? Answer: They took the groovy route: Cloudflare uses a wall of lava lamps, dubbed the “Wall of Entropy,” as a core pillar of its key generation. Here’s more about how it works.
Featured journalist: Sofia Perez
Today's featured journalist is Sofia Perez, a freelance journalist and editor based in New York. Perez covers art and entertainment, food and dining, travel, environmental issues, history, and Spain. She began her career at "NBC Nightly News" with Tom Brokaw and eventually did a stint HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." In between, her work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast Traveler, Saveur, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and Literary Hub, among many others.
R.I.P. BuzzFeed News
BuzzFeed News is shutting down, Rob Wile announced at NBC News yesterday. CEO Jonah Peretti said the move was part of a 15% workforce reduction across a number of teams. "While layoffs are occurring across nearly every division, we’ve determined that the company can no longer continue to fund BuzzFeed News as a standalone organization," he wrote.
Florida passes 6-week abortion ban
In a 70-40 vote — largely along party lines— Florida's Legislature passed a 6-week abortion ban on Thursday, Matt Dixon reported at NBC News. Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would sign it into law and then did at 11:00 pm last night. Victor Shi reacted to the news by saying, “This is who the Republican Party is. They will never change. They will never learn. They will never respect our rights. Absolutely shameful.
Question of the Day
Yesterday we asked: What is the most expensive liquid in the world? Answer: It’s , which can go for up to $10 million a liter. Congratulations to…Amy Zipkin, the first reader to get this one right. Some other interesting answers that came in for this one included: “inkjet toner,” “child’s tears,” and one person who asked, “It's not Colorado River water yet, is it?” Which retailer sells a ready-to-go emergency preparedness two-week supply of food?
Featured journalist: Olaleye Idowu
Today's featured journalist is Olaleye Idowu, a freelance journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria. Idowu covers sports and has been published in Urban Express News Online. His experience extends to sports broadcasting across TV and radio and analysis for sites including Sportline Nigeria, and Opera News. He's also a proud member of the Sports Writer Association of Nigeria, Lagos state chapter.
Free Evan
The Senate’s Democratic and Republican leaders came together to call on Russia to Release Evan Gershkovich. Wall Street Journal’s Siobhan Hughes reported on the joint statement from Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell. Russia responded by formally charging Gershkovich with espionage, Russian state news agency Tass reported Friday, per AP News. Tass said a law enforcement source informed the news agency that Russia's Federal Security Service officially charged the American journalist with espionage.
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