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Charlie and the Doll Factory? Internet rebuffs Penguin's new cover of beloved book
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The new cover for the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl's classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" has many online shaking their heads. - photo by Penguin Books
Chandra Johnson
Deseret News National
Updated: Aug 26, 2014, 3:00 PM
Published: Aug 22, 2014, 12:56 PM

Penguin Publishing got an earful via social media last week when it unveiled a 50th anniversary edition cover for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" via Facebook.

The cover, which depicts a doll-like child sitting on her mother's lap staring blankly into the distance and dressed in saccharine-sweet pastel colors, upset many established fans of the book.

The photo update got 677 comments, mostly from readers who complained the new cover was too dark, sexualized the child, or otherwise didn't accurately represent Roald Dahl's most recognized work. "Lolita" and "Valley of the Dolls" jokes abounded.
"Where's Charlie, Mr. Wonka, or some aspect of the factory? It doesn't get to the essence of the story," Facebook user James Perkins commented. "This looks like an escapee from some weird children's beauty pageant. Even a picture of a melting chocolate bar would be far better."

"Being an illustrator I have to confess...I don't get the relationship of the image to the story in question....maybe I'm not highbrow enough," Facebook user Robin Carey commented.

The Washington Post said the choice and the response actually says a lot about the publishing industry and people who still hold physical, non-digital books in high regard.

"Good writing can make readers feel so possessive toward a book that they want nothing about it altered. And beyond that, familiar book covers serve as a kind of tether in a world of frenetic Twitter feeds and glowing smartphone screens," Post writer Sarah Kaplan reported. "Adults who would not want to be seen reading the story of a cheery jaunt through a candy factory might be more interested in the Modern Classics version, whose cover emphasizes Dahl’s dark commentary on parents who act like children and children who must parent themselves."

The BBC offered a different perspective.
"It isn't really a crossover book," author Giles Paley-Phillips told the BBC. "People want it to remain as a children's book."
Still, if boosting sales is what Penguin was after, the controversy might just have been its golden ticket, as some on Twitter speculated.

"Everyone is talking about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' now," Twitter user Sarah McIntyre tweeted. "They don't even have to print it to boost sales."

Email: chjohnson@deseretnews.com
Twitter: ChandraMJohnson
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.