Showing results by narrator "Sean Patrick Hopkins" in All Categories

From trade to technology to military might, competition between the United States and China dominates the foreign policy landscape. But this battle for global influence is also playing out in a strange and unexpected arena: the movies. The film industry, Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel explains, is the latest battleground in the tense and complex rivalry between these two world powers. In recent decades, as China has grown into a giant of the international economy, it has become a crucial source of revenue for the American film industry.

Elisha Rowe has her heart set on one thing and one thing only: putting her hometown back on the map. So, when she gets the chance to secure the long-hoped-for sequel to Sleighbells Under Starlight, she's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, that includes claiming to have already gotten permission to film at the town's historic Christmas House-permission she was very much denied by the mysterious new owner.

A woman crashes her car near the scenic Colorado ski resort town of Rocky Points and slips into a coma after suffering head trauma. The Sluice-Byron County first responders discover she's stolen her vehicle from central Washington, and doctors find her body is riddled with wounds that have nothing to do with the collision. Chief Detective David Wolf of Rocky Points is two days from getting married when he learns the crash victim's identity is Special Agent Kristen Luke of the FBI - Wolf's colleague and former lover.

A week ago, Ruby Grace was an ordinary girl. Now she’s a wolf shifter, rejected by her fated mate and sent to live with an ancient coven of powerful witches. That’s not even the craziest part. Because Ruby’s been star touched—blessed by the gods with the rare ability to weave illusions with her mind.

A dead man has investigators stumped. His death mirrors the work of a serial killer who'd dropped off the face of the earth and believed to be dead. A visit from a strange new ghost forces Cassie's involvement. Unsure the entity's purpose for haunting her, Cassie is both intrigued and terrified at its potential implications.

Inside Hero Maker, Duffy Gaver shares the knowledge and motivational sit-downs that get his stars to take hold of their own bodies. None of these stars bought their way to their impressive physiques; they earned it with old fashioned work and dedication. He will tell you what you need to do to look super heroic, and he will show you how you too can do this if you put yourself to the task. Inside, you will also find some of his game-changing workouts to help get you there.

Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets in and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a "good college". Hint: It's not all about the sticker on the car window.

When Cassie lands in Chicago, all she knows is that Detective Harris has a lead on what happened to David. But when they meet face-to-face, Cassie realizes her friend is grasping at straws, and the glimmer of hope she sees on the horizon fades fast. At every turn, it feels like Cassie’s life is crumbling around her. Until, that is, she notices a mysterious shadow following her around the city. Cassie has never experienced a haunting quite like this, but if she can puzzle out its purpose, it might just lead to some real answers.

Chief Detective David Wolf's son has a new girlfriend, and when she discovers her father-a well known man in ancient fossils trade circles-has been murdered, she and the rest of her shattered family turn to Wolf to bring them justice.

Should we bring new humans into the world? Or would it be better off without us? A renowned philosopher and advisor to NBC’s The Good Place offers a thoughtful exploration of humanity’s future—or lack thereof.

Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying. Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this getaway should be nothing but idyllic fun.

History tells of women whose love for the Bible shaped its earliest and most prominent teachers. It tells of women who were great theologians in their own right, yet whose only students were their own children. It tells, time and time again, of Christian men who owe so much to their godly mothers. Raising children to honor and glorify the Lord is the goal of every Christian mother, but how can you do that? Who can teach you? One of the best ways to learn is to read or listen to examples of women who have succeeded at the very task you are attempting. Come and listen to some of them.

When a sheriff’s son is found dead in a neighboring county to the south, clues show foul play. Led by the same sheriff now doubling as a father hell-bent on vengeance, the investigation turns violent, pushing the local district attorney north to Rocky Points for help. They need somebody with an outside perspective to lead the investigation, and Chief Detective David Wolf is just their man.

In 1996, Scott was nineteen and lost in adulthood with an endless job and no future ambitions. Teenage Degenerate is his story about drug addiction, music and growing up. Over the course of ten months, he quickly descends into the dark and dangerous world of crystal methamphetamine. Scott experiments with crystal meth in a dark, deserted parking lot in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado and soon after his crew of misfits will do almost anything for their next high.

A “problem of twelve” arises when a small number of institutions acquire the means to exert outsized influence over the politics and economy of a nation. The Big Three index funds of Vanguard, State Street, and BlackRock control more than twenty percent of the votes of S&P 500 companies—a concentration of power that’s unprecedented in America.

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show STARMAKER's special festive season, Sadie thinks she's finally gotten her big break—and Max sees a chance to step out of his megastar father's shadow. But then they're paired up for duet week and stun the world with their onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie, the judges demand they remain a duo—on and offstage—or exit the competition. Faking a relationship shouldn't be too hard, except for one small problem: Sadie and Max can't stand each other.

The Marigold, a gleaming Toronto condo tower, sits a half-empty promise: a stack of scuffed rental suites and undelivered amenities that crumbles around its residents as a mysterious sludge spreads slowly through it. Public health inspector Cathy Jin investigates this toxic mold as it infests the city’s infrastructure, rotting it from within, while Sam “Soda” Dalipagic stumbles on a dangerous cache of data while cruising the streets in his Camry, waiting for his next rideshare alert.

In the wake of her decisive victory against the corrupt Administrator, ferocious insurgent leader Jyn Sato plans to take her fight for emancipation all the way to the Administration's doorstep. But first she must find a way to liberate her home, the Mouth, from the foul clutches of the Glow Syndicate. Meanwhile, following her turbulent foray into the Novara's criminal underworld, Capt. Delilah Holloway is being hunted by ruthless kingpin Vidalia Drexen and his sinister agents. She had hoped to lay low for a while and settle back into the routine of salvage work.

Too many of us suffer from 'chronic performance': we feel constant pressure to look like we know what we're doing, to always be on, to rack up success after success and have all the answers, all because we assume that greater effort leads to greater success. But this temptation to portray ourselves as infallible is affecting both our work and personal lives and is blocking our ability for true growth. Through his work, co-founder of Mindset Works Eduardo Briceño has solved this by coming up with a game-changing framework that breaks our habit of chronic performance.

Monday, Kierk wakes up. Once a rising star in neuroscience, Kierk Suren is now homeless and broken by his all-consuming quest to find a scientific theory of consciousness. When he’s offered a spot in a prestigious postdoctoral program, he decides to rejoin society and vows not to self-destruct again. Instead of focusing on his work, however, Kierk becomes obsessed with another project—investigating the sudden and suspicious death of a colleague.