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11 questions to consider after reading ‘The Measure’ by Nikki Erlick

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“The Measure” is a book that is designed to be conversation-starting. The novel, written by Nikki Erlick, imagines what would happen if everyone had access to a life-changing piece of information: The length of their lives.

On a seemingly normal day in March, the population of the world wakes up to find a box with a string outside their doors. The string represents the “measure” of their lives, or the number of years they’re fated to live.

“It sounds ominous in many ways but actually, it is about love and how we choose to spend out days,” Jenna said when announcing the book as the July 2022 pick. “I think it will make everyone feel immense gratitude for the beautiful little moments.”

She added, “I know it sounds like a book about death but really it’s a book about how we choose to live.”

Erlick provided 10 recommendations for books to read after “The Measure.” But while you’re reading “The Measure,” use these discussion questions to guide your experience or spark discussion with friends and family members after you’re done.

  1. If the box from The Measure arrived on your doorstep, would you open it? Is there perhaps a particular age or moment in your life when you would be most inclined to view your string?
  2. Knowing the length of their string causes many characters to rethink their careers, their dreams, even their views on marriage and children. Some people quit their jobs and shutter their businesses; others travel to distant lands. How would knowing about your string—or not knowing about it — affect the way you lived your life?
  3. Ben initially feels conflicted over telling his parents about his string, while Javier chooses to hide the truth from his. Do you think family members have a right to know about each other’s strings?
  4. In today’s world, do you think the arrival of the strings would bring out the worst in people, or the best? Would you view the boxes as a gift or a curse?
  5. The world of The Measure feels familiar to our own, except for one powerful twist. What is the benefit of setting a novel in a slightly altered version of our world? In what ways did this fictional society’s reaction to the strings mirror the behavior of our own society? In what ways did it differ?
  6. Do you think any members in the public arena — such as doctors, employers, or government
  7. officials — should be able to know the length of someone’s string? Should short-stringers be able to publicly identify themselves in order to receive legal protections or government aid? Do you think political candidates should be able to use their strings during a campaign, like Anthony did?
  8. In the support group, Maura argues that, “We never should have allowed them to start labeling people as ‘long-stringers’ and ‘short-stringers.’” Do you agree with her? Do you think it would create more division or strengthen community in society?
  9. Nina worries that if Maura were to enter the hospital, she might face multiple biases as a Black woman and a short-stringer. How does the experience of short-stringers in the novel reflect any of the past or present injustices facing historically marginalized groups? How do they differ?
  10. Religion takes on varying degrees of importance in the characters’ lives. Javier is Catholic, Nihal is Hindu, and other characters aren’t observant. How do you think the arrival of the strings might impact a person’s religious devotion, or lack thereof?
  11. In the world of The Measure, people receive their boxes upon turning 22. Do you think that’s too young to be facing such a choice? Or should the choice be offered to people even younger?

To stay up to date on the latest book club news, subscribe to the Read With Jenna newsletter!

For more book recommendations, check out:

The best beach reads of all time, according to authors

What beach read to pick up this summer, based on your zodiac sign

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Bobby focuses on creating higher margins while investing in society. He believes that our World has room for improvement, and one of his goals is to be part of the evolutionary process. What makes him successful is the collaboration with founders and partners. Bobby has a successful track record in envisioning and creating deals and opportunities from scratch in various industries.

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Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin Secretly Welcome Baby No. 2: Report

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Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song are now a family of four. 

The couple quietly welcomed a second son, Carson, around Christmas last year, Us Weekly reports.

The former Disney actress and the Home Alone star’s new bundle of joy joins his older brother, Dakota, who was born in April 2021. Dakota was named in honor of Culkin’s sister, who died in 2008. 

Culkin, 42, and Song, 34, worked together on the set of Changeland in Thailand, and have been together for nearly four years now. Culkin first spoke about his desire to have kids with the former Disney star someday in an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast back in August 2018.

“I’m gonna make some babies,” Culkin said, when asked if he wants children. “This one’s a good one, so I’m probably going to put some babies in her in a little bit. I mean, we’ve definitely been practicing.”

“This one, I’m going to have some pretty babies. She’s Asian, so I’m gonna have tiny, little Asian babies. It’s going to be adorable — a bunch of Sean Lennons running around the house, that’s what I’m looking for,” he added, referencing the son of the late John Lennon and Yoko Ono. 

The baby news comes one year after the longtime couple got engaged to be married.

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Gossip Blogger Tasha K Lost Her Appeal Against Cardi B And Said She’s Now Looking For Part-Time Jobs To Pay Off The $4 Million She Owes

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BuzzFeed News has contacted Kebe and Cardi B for comment but did not receive a response before deadline.

The lawsuit, first filed in 2019 by Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almánzar, came in response to several defamatory comments Kebe made online and in her videos for her YouTube channel, UnWineWithTashaK.  

Kebe made spurious claims about the rapper, including that she had performed a sex act with a bottle, had been unfaithful to her husband, rapper Offset, and had contracted herpes.

In her appeal to the initial ruling, Kebe claimed that the jury was presented with “lopsided” evidence. In October, Kebe was ordered by a judge to either pay up or secure a bond while her appeal was being considered. 

Despite initially vowing to fight the ruling “all the way to the supreme court if need be,” the 41-year-old appeared to concede with the latest outcome and uploaded an edited photo of herself dressed in a McDonald’s uniform along with the caption #TashaKGetsAJOB.

“I will let y’all [know] what Part-Time gig I get so I can pay off this damn debt. #iaintgotit but I’m gonna get it,” Kebe wrote. 

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SEC charges Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul and other celebs with crypto violations

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The Securities and Exchange Commission has unveiled fraud and unregistered securities charges against crypto founder and Grenadian diplomat Justin Sun, alongside separate violations against the celebrity backers of his Tronix and BitTorrent crypto assets, which included Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan and Soulja Boy.

The SEC alleged that Sun engaged in fraud by manipulating the trading activity of the two tokens, creating the appearance of active trading when it did not exist. The unregistered offer and sale charges, on the other hand, are similar to charges the SEC has unveiled against other crypto offerings and exchanges, including Genesis, Gemini and Do Kwon’s Terraform Labs.

“This case demonstrates again the high risk investors face when crypto asset securities are offered and sold without proper disclosure,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

Sun allegedly induced investors to purchase TRX and BTT tokens by “orchestrating a promotional campaign in which he and his celebrity promoters hid the fact that the celebrities were paid for their tweet,” Gensler said in a statement.

The eight celebrities and influencers were:

  • actor Lindsay Lohan
  • social-media personality Jake Paul
  • musician DeAndre Cortez Way, also known as Soulja Boy
  • musician Austin Mahone
  • adult actress Michele Mason, known as Kendra Lust
  • musician Miles Parks McCollum, known as Lil Yachty
  • musician Shaffer Smith, also known as Ne-Yo
  • musician Aliaune Thiam, also known as Akon

All except for Soulja Boy and Mahone agreed to pay a collective $400,000 in disgorgement, interest and penalties to settle the charges. The settlements were not an admittance or denial of guilt.

Those celebrity backers would promote the TRX and BTT tokens on social media and recruited others to Tron-affiliated Telegram and Discord channels.

Tron and his backers’ alleged behavior was part of an “age-old playbook to mislead and harm investors,” SEC enforcement chief Gurbir Grewal said in a statement.

“At the same time, Sun paid celebrities with millions of social media followers to tout the unregistered offerings, while specifically directing that they not disclose their compensation. This is the very conduct that the federal securities laws were designed to protect against regardless of the labels Sun and others used,” Grewal said.

A spokesperson for Lohan told NBC News on March 22 that the actor was “unaware of the disclosure requirement” until she was contacted by officials.

“She agreed to pay a fine to resolve the matter,” the spokesperson said.

Sun’s representative at Tron did not immediately return a request for comment. Jake Paul’s representatives declined to comment.

This story first appeared on CNBC.com.

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