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The ‘Alien’ Is Real: Shark Hauled From Deep Ocean Has Extendable Jaws

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The highly-rare viper shark was caught near Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean this week, and it is one of the very few viper sharks that have been ensnared since the early 80s.

Dazzling the scientists, a rare shark was caught in the Pacific Ocean which – like the monster from the “Alien” sci-fi film – can take its jaws beyond its mouth. The shark belongs to the category of rare viper sharks which are on the verge of distinction.

The viper shark – which earns the name because of its fear-inducing fangs – was caught by a group of researchers near Taiwan. The shark catches its target via its extending jaws, which are so huge that a large fish can be swallowed with a single bite.

What’s more, if the rapidly extending jaws weren’t enough for this shark to attract everybody’s attention, it has another unique feature: that of glowing in the dark. It was this feature that led the researchers near it earlier this week.

According to Taiwan Fishers Research Institute, they picked up five such creatures during a routine survey which took them near the Donghe Township. Describing the shark, the Institute said that it recognized them from their needle-shaped teeth which look like snake-like fangs.

Since they are rarely come into view because of their minute size, viper sharks aren’t very famous. That said, the scientists believe that these sharks could swim from depths ranging 400m deep during daylight. At night, they swim above and remain 150m below the sea level.

Scientists further believe that this shark could grow to 21’’ in length, and is the oceans surrounding Taiwan, China, and Hawaii. The scientific name of the shark, given to it by Japanese researchers, is Trigonognathus kabeyai.

The latest catch, trapped at a depth of around 350feet, contained five viper sharks. Four were dead at the time of their catch whereas the fifth –despite being covered in a cool sweater, only survived one more day.

 

You Aren’t a Saint: Seal Calls Oprah Winfrey as Part of the Problem

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Who said that everybody was gushing in praise of Oprah after her landmark speech at the Golden Globes? There have been some dissenting voices, and musician Seal is the latest to call her out.

Just days after her speech at the Golden Globe Awards – which many believed turned Oprah into a 2020 Presidential candidate, musician Seal has slammed Oprah Winfrey on Instagram. In a stinging rebuke, the 54 year old called Oprah as part of the problem and hypocrite in unequivocal terms.

Seal showed her displeasure with Oprah on an Instagram post, Wednesday, by posting a couple of photos of Winfrey with the Movie Mogul Harvey Weinstein. One of the photos which he shared showed Oprah kissing the disgraced producer’s cheek.

If that wasn’t enough, Seal added a couple of comments on both photographs which suggested that far from being an angel, Oprah knew all along that the movie director was mistreating women.

“Oh I forgot, that’s right…..you’d heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young stary-eyed actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad,” Seal wrote.

Though it is hard to believe, Seal isn’t the first celebrity to call out Oprah over her speech. A couple of days ago, James Wood – who is one of the most conservative actors in Hollywood, posted the same images with equally vitriolic comments on her Twitter page.

In addition to these two celebrities, the creator of “Family Guy”, Seth MacFarlane, has also come out in opposition to Oprah. He has cautioned that when compared with public service, Oprah’s Celebrity power doesn’t quality her as a Presidential Candidate.

In the light of all these comments, it would be difficult to believe that Oprah HAS NOT, even hinted, in any way that she is thinking to run for the office in 2020. Yes, some Twitter trend have urged her to do the same, but she has been silent after her speech.

Change in Warner Bros.: Toby Emmerich Named New Film Chairman

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Say it quietly, but there is a change going on at the Warner Bros. Studios. And unlike many which have preceded it in the past, this one could have long-running repercussions.

In a sign that major reorganization is underway at the Warner Bros. Studios, the film giant has promoted Toby Emmerich to the role of its Chairman. Another such change has seen Sue Kroll – who heads the studio’s worldwide distribution and marketing network, is giving up her role as a Producer of Burbank Lot.

It goes without saying that the relationship of Kroll with Warner Bros. goes behind a few decades. Equally important is her relationships with Hollywood Giants i.e. Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, and Christopher Nolan. Therefore, now that she is relinquishing her previous role, Kroll will become a Producer on Burbank Lot.

The shake-up isn’t limited to the top two personalities – as the chairmanship of the Global Theatrical and Home Entertainment Marketing has now been handed over to Blair Rich. She has been handed this responsibility at a time when there were rumors that several other studios were also courting her services. She also masterminded the marketing of last year’s blockbuster “It”.

In addition, while he will continue as President of the Studio’s Home Entertainment group, Ron Sanders will now serve as the President of the Worldwide Distribution at Warner Bros. It means he’ll be performing two roles at one.

Another major change which the studio hopes to see is the streamlining of its internal structure. It is, probably, for this purpose that the new management structure, marketing, distribution, and production departments will all report to Emmerich from now on.

It was back in 2016 that Emmerich assumed the role of Chief Content Officer and President at the Warner Bros. He assumed the responsibility after his successes at “New Line” – the Warner Bros. division which oversaw “Lord of the Rings” and “The Conjuring” Franchises.

All this shakeup has come after a year in which Warner Bros. enjoyed one success after the other. For example, the likes of“Dunkirk”, “Wonder Woman” and “It” – all huge successes at the Box Office, were released last year.

 

Going Royal: Meghan Markle Bids Farewell to Social Media

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If you were thinking that she didn’t behave royally in her daily life, now you should. For, in an apparent effort to distance herself from the masses, Price Harry’s Fiancée has deleted her Social Media accounts.

The new fiancée of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, has deleted her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, a statement from Kensington Palace confirmed yesterday.

To comfort her followers, the statement from the palace said that the former actress “was grateful” to her followers on the social media accounts.  The statement further claimed that the reason she chose to shut down her accounts was that she hadn’t used them for quite some time.

This decision to shut down her social media accounts is in line with the Royal status which she is going to enjoy from May 2018 – as she’s going to marry Prince Harry that month.

Her decision, however, doesn’t mean that the members of the monarchy are not allowed to have Twitter and Instagram accounts. In contrast, most senior members DO have their official accounts which are run by their social media teams.

That said, the royal accounts aren’t normally seen posting personal posts or tweets. There is one exception, however, as the Duke of York is a vocal personality on Twitter. In Tweets which personally come from his side, he signs them with his initials “AY”.

After her wedding in May, Markle’s statements will be posted by Kensington Palace – whereas her communications on social media will be made by the palace’s Communications staff on her behalf.

In December last year, the US-born actress had 1.9 million followers on Instagram, whereas more than 350,000 people followed her Tweets on Twitter. Her Facebook account, meanwhile, had more than 800,000 likes.

It is not the first time that Meghan had decided to take a break from public life. In April 2017, for instance, she stunned her followers by shutting down The Tig – her lifestyle website.

 

Golden Globes: The Winners List

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Who went home smiling from the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards? Women, to put it simply. As for the list of winners – and nominees – scroll down.

Once described as the boozy, bumptious and rowdy celebration of Hollywood, the Golden Globes took a turn for the better on Sunday night. The red carpet was draped in black, Seth Meyers decided to tackle a serious issue, and the Hollywood decided to put a spotlight on the troubles women face in the industry.

Amid all this hullaballoo, it was easy to forget that this was an awards night. However, since we care for our readers, we decided to mention the winners list – in FULL – in the upcoming verses.
Movies
As always, the movies section was divided into two categories: Drama and Musical. Mentioned below is the list of nominees and winners from each of the two sections.
DRAMA
Call Me By Your Name

Dunkirk

The Post

The Shape of Water

WINNER: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
The Disaster Artist

Get Out

The Greatest Showman

I, Tonya

WINNER: Lady Bird
DIRECTOR
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk

Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World

Steven Spielberg, The Post

WINNER: Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

Meryl Streep, The Post

Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World

WINNER: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread

Tom Hanks, The Post

WINNER: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

 
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Judi Dench, Victoria & Abdul

Helen Mirren, The Leisure Seeker

Margot Robbie, I, Tonya

Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes

WINNER: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird

 
ACTOR IN A COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes

Ansel Elgort, Baby Driver

Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman

Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out

WINNER: James Franco, The Disaster Artist

 
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound

Hong Chau, Downsizing

Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

WINNER: Allison Janney, I, Tonya

 
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name

Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water

Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World

WINNER: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Fantastic Woman (Chile)

First They Killed My Father (Cambodia)

Loveless (Russia)

The Square (Sweden/Germany/France)

WINNER: In the Fade (Germany/France)

 
ANIMATED FILM
The Boss Baby

The Breadwinner

Ferdinand

Loving Vincent

WINNER: Coco

 
SCREENPLAY
Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water

Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird

Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, The Post

Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game

WINNER: Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
SCORE
Carter Burwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread

John Williams, The Post

Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk

WINNER: Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water

 
SONG
“Home,” Ferdinand

“Mighty River,” Mudbound

“Remember Me,” Coco

“The Star,” The Star

WINNER: “This Is Me,” The Greatest Showman

 
TELEVISION
DRAMA

The Crown (Netflix)

This Is Us (NBC)

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Game of Thrones (HBO)

WINNER: The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

 
MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Black-ish (ABC)

Master of None (Netflix)

SMILF (Showtime)

Will & Grace (NBC)

WINNER: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

 
MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Fargo (FX)

Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)

The Sinner (USA)

Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance)

WINNER: Big Little Lies (HBO)

 
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander (Starz)

Claire Foy, The Crown (Netflix)

Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Deuce (HBO)

Katherine Langford, 13 Reasons Why (Netflix)

WINNER: Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

 
ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jason Bateman, Ozark (Netflix)

Freddie Highmore, The Good Doctor (ABC)

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (Showtime)

WINNER: Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us (NBC)

 
ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Pamela Adlon, Better Things (FX)

Alison Brie, Glow (Netflix)

WINNER: Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Issa Rae, Insecure (HBO)

Frankie Shaw, SMILF (Showtime)

 
ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish (ABC)

Kevin Bacon, I Love Dick (Amazon)

William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime)

Eric McCormack, Will & Grace (NBC)

WINNER: Aziz Ansari, Master of None (Netflix)

 
ACTRESS IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Jessica Biel, The Sinner (USA)

Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)

Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)

Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies (HBO)

WINNER: Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies (HBO)

 
ACTOR IN A MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Robert De Niro, The Wizard of Lies (HBO)

Jude Law, The Young Pope (HBO)

Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks (Showtime)

Geoffrey Rush, Genius (NatGeo)

WINNER: Ewan McGregor, Fargo (FX)

 
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

Chrissy Metz, This Is Us (NBC)

Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies (HBO)

Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies (HBO)

WINNER: Laura Dern, Big Little Lies (HBO)

 
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
David Harbour, Stranger Things (Netflix)

Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)

Christian Slater, Mr. Robot (USA)

David Thewlis, Fargo (FX)

WINNER: Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies (HBO)

 
CECIL B. DEMILLE AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Oprah Winfrey

 

Born Lazy? Try These 6 Food Hacks

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How many times, over the last few years, were you in such a situation that there was nobody home to cook your meal? Dozens, in my case. After making the same sandwich time and again, I decided that enough was enough – and that I had to do something. It was then I stumbled on to these 6 food hacks and my whole life was turned into an oasis of calmness.

Take a look at 6 mind boggling food hacks.

 
#1: Bake Butternut Squash

If you are too lazy to peel and chop your butternut squash, this food hack might help. All you have to do is to bake it on low intensity for at least twenty minutes. But before you set the timer, make sure to poke a couple of holes in the squash. Once the 20 minutes are over, the partially cooked squash will be easy to peel and cut.

 
#2: One Pan Meals

Have trouble locating different utensils for cooking different items? Embrace the one-pan meal culture. First of all, spread a foil-covered (and greased) cookie sheet over the pan. Then put bell peppers, thinly sliced chicken and onion on it. Lastly, season the meal with taco seasoning and you’d end up with a one-tray fajita.

 
#3: Replace water with Coffee

Love chocolate flavor to bits? If your answer to this question is in the affirmative, you’ve got one more chocolate dish on your to-make menu. All you have to do to make it is to replace water with coffee when preparing ready-made brownies. Doing so will increase the chocolate flavor.

 
#4: De-seed Pomegranate

I have always loved pomegranates but the “process” of de-seeding them always dissuaded me from eating them. Luckily, I came on to this food hack where all I’ve to do to de-seed the pomegranate is to cut it before soaking it in water. In this way, all the seeds come out with minimum fuss.

 
#5: Pull can-lid using a fridge magnet

This one is self-explanatory, isn’t it? Once you’ve opened a can, pull its lid out using a fridge magnet. This will save you from applying the force to do the same.

 
#6: Get an Instant Pot

For a person who lives alone, I had a habit of making a fuss of almost anything that I wanted to cook. Thankfully, that habit changed once I got an instant pot. Now, all I do is to put all ingredients of my meal in the pot, set a timer for a few hours after which I open it to find a tasty dinner.

Interested in Bitcoin? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

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Though it is touted as a digital currency which makes millionaires, quite a lot of people still don’t know about Bitcoin. Whether you’re thinking of purchasing it – or just want to know what it is, this guide will come handy.

Bitcoin was introduced in 2009 as a cryptocurrency – or a digitally encrypted currency.The purpose behind it was to make such a currency which is un-hackable, untraceable and therefore safe for investors. Like every self-made millionaire, Bitcoin started at rock bottom – valuing at around 0.30 cents in January 2011. Currently, however, its value stands north of $15,000.
How does Bitcoin Work?
As virtual coins, Bitcoins are produced to be “self-contained” – meaning no banks are involved. Once you have them, you can use Bitcoins in the same manner as gold nuggets, albeit a little more discreetly.

Provided you want to use them, there are several websites that accept Bitcoins. However, if you’re an investor, you can tuck your Bitcoins away in a “wallet”.

Wallets are personal databases which you can store on your computer drive, tablet, in the cloud storage or on your smartphone.

It doesn’t matter where you store them – for no hacker can steal a Bitcoin. For, they are encrypted in such a manner that counterfeiters just cannot financially afford to steal them.
Why are Bitcoins Controversial?
Many reasons are there which make Bitcoins controversial, with the major one being that no central agency governs them. Between 2011 and 2013, criminal traders used Bitcoins to store them money away from the prying eyes of law enforcement agencies.

Second, no matter in how much debt you’re, no taxman can freeze your Bitcoin accounts. It is probably the reason why bankers see them as Gold Nuggets which exist in the “wild, wild west” where no financial institutions and traditional police can control them.

Finally, Bitcoins take the power of money-making away from the central reserve banks and into the hands of the general public. And as you might guess, our elite doesn’t like this aspect of Bitcoins one bit.
How to Invest in Bitcoins?
Just like any other investment you’re going to make in your life, never invest more in a Bitcoin than what you can afford to lose. Cryptocurrencies, despite their current popularity, can be highly volatile. Therefore, before making any investment, consult a well-versed investor.

If you still think you need a Bitcoin, there are apps– like Coinbase, Bitstamp, and Blockfolio – on which you can start investing. They act like digital wallets and store your Bitcoins.

Trolled: Ryan Reynolds Give it to Kim Kardashian In One Tweet

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Just like most of us, Ryan Reynolds does not know the recipe on how to “Keep Up With the Kardashians”. Unlike us, however, he has a 10 million follower-base to show for it.

A couple of months ago, many sources claimed that both Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian were pregnant. However, since there has been no official confirmation from either side, fans have grown a bit restless – including Ryan Reynolds.

The 41-year-old star – who is famous for his Deadpool role, is undoubtedly one of the funniest celebs on Twitter. And if you had any doubts about his comic appeal, his recent Tweet about the Kardashian baby boom should have settled them.

https://twitter.com/VancityReynolds/status/948183598867341312
Thankfully, anyone who has been “Keeping Up” of late can answer the question for him. Take Kim Kardashian, for example. The 37-year-old is expecting to become a mother for the third time with his second daughter from Kanye West via surrogate.

Similarly, Khloe, 33, is expecting to become a mother for the first time – she is expecting a baby boy with NBA star Tristan Thompson, has confirmed the news herself. Finally, Kylie who just turned 20 last year, is expecting to welcome her first child with Travis Scott, a 25-year-old rapper.

 

What’s more, of late there were rumors that Kourtney Kardashian was also pregnant. Although the 38-year-old has duly denied these reports ever since the internet still stirs up rumors time and again.

Kendal, 22, was also on the receiving end when – after she posted a photo wear skin-tight polka – fans started speculating that she was pregnant as well. And just like Kourtney, she took to Twitter to dispel any such rumors.

In the light of so many rumors, therefore, one can forgive Ryan Reynolds for his confusion. For, it is easier to speculate which of the Kardashians is NOT pregnant these days.

Behave Like A Billionaire: Justin Bieber Joins London’s Elite

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In a sign that he’d divide his time between Los Angeles and London, Justin Bieber has leased a new home in the Bishops Avenue – better known as London’s Billionaire’s Row.

Justin Bieber House

It might not be an ideal setting for ditzy, giggly teenage girls who want to get a glimpse of their idol. But, as far as Justin Bieber is concerned, there aren’t many places which could showcase his wealth the same way as the Billionaire’s Row in North London.

Located in the locality known as Billionaire’s row, the house is going to cost the superstar a mouth-watering £108,000 per month. The Pop Idol has leased such a huge mansion via Glentree, with Daily Mail reporting that the singer will spend more time in London from now on.

Though he’s going to live alone there, the house has enough space to house an entourage. It covers a mammoth 2299sq. meters has 15 bedrooms and six reception rooms. What’s more, it has a tennis court, steam room with a wine cellar and sauna, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

And provided you’re going to visit, parking space is the last thing you should worry about. For, in a sign of things to come, the driveway has enough space for 50 – yes, FIFTY, cars at a time. And Mr. Bieber won’t have to go anywhere should he feels like watching a movie – as the house has a built-in Home Cinema.

The house – which has been everything from a Chinese Government base to a family home over the years, was built by a British sugar Tycoon way back in 1910. Over the years, it has changed hands quite a lot of times, with the most recent buyer coughing up £25 million for it in 2015.

The reason why this house has been rented out – even at a mammoth price – is because sales tax has increased twice in the last few years. Add to it the uncertainty surrounding British Real Estate Market following Brexit, and the house was tailor-made for being rented out.

Redemption: Mariah Carey Puts Past Mistakes Behind Her on New Year’s Eve

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Though she wasn’t able to get the hot tea she so craved, Mariah Carey was able to put last year’s demons behind her with a scintillating performance at Times Square.

This time, there weren’t any shortcomings from her side. Dressed in a white fur coat and a gold-colored dress, Mariah Carey sang “Hero” and “Vision” of Live to turn the heat on an otherwise extremely cold night.

“Happy New Year!” Ms. Carey said, addressing the crowd. “Just want to take a sip of tea if they’ll let me.” Though the tea never arrived, Mariah didn’t let its absence affect her on-stage performance.

Learning From Her Mistakes

Last year Mariah was in Times Square to welcome the New Year with her performance. However, to put it mildly, the performance went disastrously that time around.

That performance was a testament to what happens when there is zero coordination between team members. For example, while singing her blockbuster “Emotions”, Mariah was unable to sync with the music and lyrics.

To add insult to injury, Mariah gave up midway through one of her songs, “We Belong Together” – despite the fact that the recording of the number continued to play, an evidence that she was lip-syncing during the entire time.

In the light of these circumstances, therefore, it was imperative that Mariah set record straight. And amusingly for her fans, the veteran singer did just that.

Learning her lessons from last time, Ms. Carey arrived hours in advance to personally check the arrangements. Her team was omnipresent even before with her manager being the most active of her team members.

It paid off.

Without any misgivings that marred her performance last year, Ms. Carey seamlessly made it to the finish line. The fact that all had gone awesome was evident when – after singing “Hero” – Carey received a standing ovation from large segments of the audience.

Surprise for her Fans

If you’ve watched her performance, you might have seen the giant rock glittering on Mariah’s middle finger. According to CNN, it was an engagement ring which her ex-fiance, James Packer, gifted her. Mariah touts it as an “inconvenience fee” as she has sued Mr. Packer for $50million after the couple’s breakup last year.

Sceptic of Climate Change? Get Ready to Bid Farewell to Chocolate, Coffee, and Beer

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Think Climate Change is a hoax? Our stubbornness, when combined with bad weather, might take away many of the pleasures of life which we usually take for granted.

Climate Change and Coffee

It doesn’t matter which report you read, there is one thing you’ll find common in all of them: Climate Change is the biggest challenge mankind has ever faced. And in contrast to other effects of Climate Change – i.e. Heat waves and rising seas, which will mostly affect the developing countries, now is the turn of the developed world to get stuffed.

No Beer (or less quality beer)

According to a report prepared by a collaboration of 42 breweries, we might run out of beer in a Climactically Changed Future. The report shines light on how the rise in temperature and decrease in water levels is going to affect our beer production.

And even if the worse doesn’t happen, there is another danger. A team at the Hydrometeorological Institute of Czech Republic has found out that Climate Change has degraded the yield and quality of the beer. They have further predicted that if Climate Change goes unabated, beer yield could further drop by 10%.

No Camp Life

Board games or park life? A question most of us face every weekend. Not any longer – provided we continue to turn a blind eye towards Climate Change.

For, throughout the world, the weather is going to get more and more extreme. You might think that means the summer will be longer, but there’s more to that.

For, when the air will become hotter than usual, it will hold more water. As a result, there would be increased flooding, sea level rises, and rainfalls. All in all, a perfect recipe for anything but normal.

No Chocolate

Africa is famous for two things: crippling poverty and cocoa production. Sadly, there’s another factor which is taking hold there these days – climate change – and it is going to worsen both of the first two.

In the last forty years, the land available for the growth of cocoa has shrunk by over 40%. The next forty years, meanwhile, are going to see a temperature rise of 2*C. That will make it very difficult (and hot) for cocoa trees to grow.

On the other side, there’s the demand for chocolate – which will outstrip the supply by 1 million tonnes by 2020. Yup, that’s two years from now.

No Coffee

You might be thinking after reading the abovementioned: but we would still have coffee. Unluckily, if the current trend persists, we won’t.

For, just like cocoa, coffee beans require a moderate climate to grow. And as the droughts in Brazil and floods in Honduras have shown, the moderate climate is the last thing this world has. Add to the mix the decrease in water levels in Vietnam – which, like Brazil and Honduras, is famous for coffee beans, and you might change your early morning coffee-drinking routine for good.

’Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Collects $1Billion Worldwide

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Though it has been just three weeks since its release, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” has stunned everyone by collecting more than $1 billion at the box office.

However, before you drool any further, let me remind you that despite raking in such huge amounts, “The Last Jedi” still isn’t the biggest-film of 2017. According to an estimate, “Beauty and the Beast” and “Fate of the Furious” performed better than the Star Wars movie in the preceding year.

Still, since the film is only three weeks old, it is expected to take over both its predecessors. Thus, it seems only a matter of time before “The Last Jedi” becomes the highest-grossing release of 2017.

One area where “The Last Jedi” has left “Beauty and the Beast” behind is its grossing in the domestic market. While the latter collected $504 million from North America, “The Last Jedi” has earned already in the region of $517 million.

The bullish trend which has seen the movie raking in billions was expected, at least after a blockbuster opening day. The movie collected $104 million on its first day at the box office. Hence earning the honor of 2nd highest opening day in the history of Hollywood.

The numbers which “The Last Jedi” got on its opening day were second only to its predecessor “The Force Awakens” which collected a whopping $119 million on its first day at the Box Office.

Despite raking in such huge numbers, “The Last Jedi” still lags behind its prequel “The Force Awakens” on one count!

That doesn’t mean, however, that “The Last Jedi” received a relatively underwhelming response from the audience. Rather, the difference has more to do with the cinemas which both movies got on their opening days.

While 5000+ Cinemas showed “The Force Awakens” on its opening day, only 4100 cinemas showed “The Last Jedi” on its. Thus, if you compare both of them on this count, the recent episode of the Star Wars Series has done comparatively well than its prequel.

Despite bringing in such numbers, “The Last Jedi” has divided opinion among its audiences and critics. For, while Rotten Tomatoes has given it a 93% score, the movie has got the lowest audience score among any Star Wars movie on the same website.

Who is Meghan Markle’s ex-husband Trevor Engelson?

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Meghan Markle, future bride of Britain’s Prince Harry was  married to Hollywood producer Trevor Engelson.

33-year-old son of the late Princess Diana is engaged with the 36-year-old “Suits” star is engaged to the. The two are set to marry in the spring of 2018.

Now Here’s what you need to know about the man who was once married to the potential new royal princess:

Us Weekly previously reported Markle and the 41-year-old tied the knot on Sept. 10, 2011, at the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, where they had a casual wedding in front of 102 guests. It was the same year the USA Network starlet took on the role of Rachel Zane in the series “Suits.”

Vogue reported Markle would later return to the tropical getaway in March 2017 with Prince Harry to celebrate the wedding of a mutual friend.

Prior to the marriage, Markle and Engelson dated for six years while they were both pursuing their high-profile careers.

However, the marriage wouldn’t last.

In September 2013, a source confirmed to Us Weekly the couple “quietly separated.” While it’s not exactly clear why the pair parted ways, they cited “irreconcilable differences.” One insider hinted to Woman’s Day at the time that Markle’s hectic schedule for filming “Suits” in Toronto while her husband resided in Los Angeles made married life difficult for the two.

Engelson has remained tight-lipped about his marriage to Markle, despite alleged rumors of publishers offering a major paycheck for a tell-all — that is, until this year.

Deadline reported in September that Engelson was working on an untitled project about a lead character sharing custody with the British royal family after his ex-wife marries a prince. While the comedy may have been inspired by real-life events, the Hollywood news site added the premise is a work of fiction.

Markle and Engelson have no children together and she’s reportedly not involved with the TV series in any capacity. However, it was noted the project originated from a conversation Engelson shared with fellow producer Dan Farah about what life would have been like if the former lovers did have kids.

 

Jason Priestley Reveals He Punched Harvey Weinstein in the Face

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Not everyone in Hollywood turned a blind eye to Harvey Weinstein’s ways. Priestley tweeted this he punched Weinstein in the face during a confrontation which took place at 1995 Golden Globes party hosted by Miramax.

 “’95 Golden Globes… at the Miramax Party… Harvey told me I had to leave… I was leaving when he grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘You told me leave, I’m leaving,'” Priestley wrote. “‘I didn’t say you had to leave,’ he replied. ‘You just told me to leave… right over there,’ I tell him once again. Getting heated now. He then grabs me tighter and says, ‘Why don’t we go outside and talk about this.’ That was all I needed to hear.”

Priestley continued, “‘I’m not going anywhere with you,’ I said as I pushed him back and punched him with a right hand to his face. Suddenly, there were security guards pulling us apart and I was escorted out of the party…”

 

New Year’s Eve: Sydney welcomes 2018 with 8 tonnes of fireworks

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In 2018  the plans for are enormous. amount of  EIGHT tonnes of fireworks produced 100,000 pyrotechnic effects as the sky exploded in a riot of color and light, with the centerpiece a rainbow tribute to the nation’s historic same-sex marriage vote and the upcoming 40th anniversary of Mardi Gras.

All harbour vantage points were full two hours before the 9pm family fireworks lit up the harbour, building excitement for the main event, which cost A$7m and lasted 12 minutes.

The show  has  a section of fireworks designed by the actor Hugh Jackman.

 

 

 

 

‘Bright’ Netflix new movie lands 11 million viewers in only three days

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Netflix new movie “Bright” starring Will Smith — which critics didn’t like has been watched by over than 11 million in the first three days of release, according to Nielsen estimates. Storyline is about hybrid cop-buddy’s sci-fi fantasy movie, with budget of $100 million. Drew an audience of about 7 million U.S. viewers 18-49 on connected TVs from Dec. 22-24.

Trailer

Is it a hit? That’s hard to determine, given that Nielsen has only part of the ct data since launching its subscription VOD measurement service this fall and Netflix doesn’t reveal such metrics.According to Nielsen, “Bright” still fall behind “Stranger Things” season 2 but better than second season of Queen Elizabeth II drama “The Crown.”

Get into stats in first three days of “Stranger Things” season 2’s release (Oct. 27-29), the premiere over  15.8 million viewers overall (and 11 million in the 18-49 demo) over that period, per Nielsen. “The Crown” season 2’s first episode on Netflix averaged nearly 3 million U.S. viewers, including nearly 1.3 million people 18-49, within the first three days of its availability (Dec. 8-12).

Well let’s hope Netflix will continue to do more Movies and Shows.