Lin Libri

"Hearing naturally declines over time, even for those of us who didn't attend loud concerts or crank up the volume in our earbuds. Nearly 20 percent of Americans have hearing loss, and for those 60 and older, that spikes to 50 percent. Too many of us neglect our hearing, and when we do, we can miss out on conversations, lose connections, and increase our risk for falls, loneliness, depression, cognitive decline, and even dementia. In Hearing Loss For Dummies, Dr. Frank Lin and Dr. Nicholas Reed--top experts in their field--explain how hearing degrades over time and what you can do about it, from making simple lifestyle changes to using technology, including traditional and new over-the-counter hearing aids." -- Page 4 of cover

In Taipei, Taiwan, the kidnapping of a Mainlander billionaire throws national media into a tizzy—not least because of the famous victim’s vitriolic anti-immigration politics. Jing-nan has known Peggy Lee, a bullying frenemy who runs her family’s huge corporation, since high school. Peggy’s father has been kidnapped, and the ransom the kidnappers are demanding is not money but IP: a high-tech memory chip that they want to sell in China. Jing-nan feels sorry for Peggy until she starts blackmailing him into helping out. Peggy is worried the kidnappers’ deadline will pass before the police are able to track down the chip. But when the reluctant Jingnan tries to help, he finds himself deeper and deeper in trouble with some very unsavory characters—the most unsavory of whom might be the victim himself.

"Taipei is rocked by the back-to-back murders of a petty criminal and a police captain just as the city is preparing to host the big Austronesian Cultural Festival. The celebration is set to bring in indigenous performers from all around the Pacific Rim to the island nation of Taiwan. Jing-nan, the proprietor of Unknown Pleasures, a popular food stand at Taipei's largest night market, is thrown into the intrigue. Is he being set up to take the rap, or will he be the next victim? The fallout could jeopardize Jing-nan's relationship with Nancy, his grad-school girlfriend. Nancy herself has to come to terms with reconciling with her estranged mother, who was living with the murdered criminal, and had an adversarial relationship with the dead cop. Jing-nan also has to be careful not to alienate his trusty workers Dwayne and Frankie the Cat, who are facing their own personal trials. Dwayne, who is of aboriginal descent, tries to navigate a productive path while respecting his heritage, even if he can't seem to make it to the gym. Septuagenarian Frankie helps a fellow veteran in a contemporary world that seems to have forgotten them. Jing-nan, meanwhile, is facing his biggest personal and professional challenges yet, and everything is on the line. Worst of all, he could lose followers on social media"-- Provided by publisher

Is there any fabric more imbued with cultural associations than lace? A piece of delicate white lace conjures up thoughts of weddings, christenings and other ceremonial occasions. These Paperblanks journals showcase particularly fine examples of hand lacework and they reside firmly in the realm of the sweetly romantic.