Movies &; TV The Space Race The Space Race: From Curious George to Interstellar‚ Black Astronauts Share Their Cultural Inspirations The Space Race shares the experiences of the first Black astronauts in the United States and beyond. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed The new National Geographic documentary‚ The Space Race‚ shares the stories of the first Black astronauts in the United States and beyond. Most of the film focuses on the experience of Ed Dwight (pictured above)—a pilot commissioned by Kennedy in the early 1960s to be the first Black astronaut candidate (and who was shut out of the program after the President’s assassination)—as well as the three Black astronauts who followed him twenty years later: Guy Bluford‚ Ronald McNair‚ and Frederick Gregory. The documentary‚ however‚ also weaves in cultural moments over the years‚ including the works of Octavia E. Butler‚ Nichelle Nichols’ involvement with Star Trek and NASA‚ and the birth of Afrofuturism. “Individuals never live and work and have impact in isolation. We are always in conversation with what is happening around us. And so it was important to show the greater cultural context as it exists with the individual’s history‚” The Space Race co-director Lisa Cortés told me in an interview with her fellow co-director‚ Diego Hurtado de Mendoza. She added‚ “I guess we call it the two trains running‚ and so‚ particularly for contemporary audiences‚ it is important to contextualize what 1963 looks like‚ not only for Ed Dwight‚ but for our country‚ and then the subsequent changes that happen. When we think about Nichelle Nichols and Afrofuturism… I think it’s really the first time that people are looking at the appearance of these conversations in these artforms and with this character‚ and how in turn‚ they are echoing the conversations that are starting to happen at NASA‚ that brings us to that first group [Bluford‚ McNair‚ and Gregory]‚ for the shuttle.” While those cultural references speak to what was going on in the country‚ they also had a personal impact on at least one of the astronauts in the documentary. “I watched Star Trek. That was very powerful—to boldly go on a five-year mission with people from around the universe…  all these people working together as one team‚ and that that really got me inspired and excited‚” former NASA astronaut Leland Melvin‚ who is also an executive producer on The Space Race‚ told me in a separate interview with Dwight. Credit: ASA/Kim Shiflett Melvin (pictured above) also referenced some non-sci-fi cultural sources as inspirational‚ from The Little Engine That Could (“I think I can‚ I think I can”) and Curious George (the importance of “always having someone in the yellow hat who has your back”) to recent films like Gravity and Interstellar. Dwight‚ who is now in his nineties‚ went on to become a renowned artist in his own right‚ leaving his own mark on the cultural zeitgeist. “It turned out there was an explosion waiting for me‚ that allowed me to tell every Black story that I could get my hands on in sculptural form‚” he said in my interview with him. “The acceptance of it by the country and the people in the collectors and in all the organizations that were able to see my work‚ it just exploded.” Learn more about the history of NASA’s first Black astronauts when The Space Race premieres on February 12‚ 2024 on National Geographic and starts streaming February 13 on Hulu and Disney+. [end-mark] The post <;i>;The Space Race<;/i>;: From <;i>;Curious George<;/i>; to <;i>;Interstellar<;/i>;‚ Black Astronauts Share Their Cultural Inspirations appeared first on Reactor.

News Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Will Include Elements from Books 3-5 Updates (and fancasts) for Season Two! By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed We found out last week that Disney Branded Television picked up a second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians‚ in no small part because the series has become a certified hit‚ with the premiere being the most-watched episode in the U.S. (across all streaming platforms! 110 million hours viewed!) when it debuted. To celebrate the news‚ the cast and showrunners took part in a panel during the Television Critics Association press tour this weekend to talk about the series‚ including where things stand in developing the upcoming episodes. Unsurprisingly‚ the second season will adapt the events that happen in the second book of the Rick Riordan series‚ The Sea of Monsters‚ but co-creator and executive producer Jonathan E. Steinberg shared that the upcoming episodes will also pull in events from the third‚ fourth‚ and fifth books. “These books weren’t written all together‚” he said‚ “and I think one of the opportunities with the show is to have each one of these stories take advantage of the material that was arrived at afterward.  So‚ it all kind of feels like it’s cut from the same stone.” Steinberg also shared‚ however‚ that the “recipe” for writing Season Two stays the same. “I think the goal is to take the book and find its soul‚ and the things that make the experience what it is for a reader. And then try to plant that in the ground a little bit and let it grow into something else‚” he said. The writers’ room is already back in action‚ with Rick and Becky Riordan once again involved. Steinberg revealed that a couple of scripts are already written and “in really good shape.” But even though the team is back to work‚ there was no clear commitment as to when the series would go back into production or who would be joining the cast‚ though there was a promise that we will see other Olympians. Walker Scobell and Aryan Simhadri‚ who play Percy and Grover respectively on the show‚ even shared some fancasting of their own. “We really wanted Christopher Judge to play Atlas‚” Simhadri said. “He’s the guy who plays Kratos in God of War.” Scobell agreed that Judge as Atlas would be “a dream cast” and added two more. “Another one I think is also a big one‚ [is] Zendaya for Athena‚” he said. “That too… but I really liked—I was just watching The Hunger Games recently—I thought Sam Claflin would be a cool Apollo.” No news yet on when season two of the show will premiere on Disney+‚ but you can (re)watch the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on the streaming platform right now. [end-mark] The post Season 2 of <;i>;Percy Jackson and the Olympians<;/i>; Will Include Elements from Books 3-5 appeared first on Reactor.

News Ryan Reynolds Interviews Has-Been Imaginary Friends in Latest IF Trailer JUSTICE FOR BING BONG By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 12‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Imaginary Friends (or IFs‚ if you will) are real! That’s the premise of a movie barreling toward theaters this Spring‚ and during the sports shenanigans this Sunday‚ we got a teaser trailer for it. The movie‚ called IF‚ stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool and Wolverine‚ which also had a new trailer this weekend) and Cailey Fleming (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). Here’s the official synopsis: From writer and director John Krasinski‚ IF is about a girl (Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends—and what she does with that superpower—as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. The trailer also reveals that when kids grow up‚ their imaginary friends have to find another kid to hang out with or… something bad happens? The premise is silly‚ but silly is far from a bad thing. It’s also a departure for Krasinski‚ who also acts in the film‚ whose previous writing and directing credits include A Quiet Place‚ which some may also call silly‚ I suppose‚ though that brand of silly is far different than what we see in IF. In addition to Reynolds‚ Fleming‚ and Krasinski‚ IF stars Fiona Shaw and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge‚ Louis Gossett Jr.‚ Alan Kim‚ Liza Colón-Zayas‚ and Steve Carell. These actors voice some of the imaginary creatures we see in the teaser trailer‚ such as an anthropomorphic banana not wearing pants‚ a unicorn‚ and a giant gummy bears whose farts smell like… gummy bears‚ I think. Cinema! You can check out the teaser trailer below. IF is set to imagine its way into theaters on May 17‚ 2024. [end-mark] The post Ryan Reynolds Interviews Has-Been Imaginary Friends in Latest <;i>;IF<;/i>; Trailer appeared first on Reactor.

Carter G. Woodson is widely credited with the activism that‚ in 1926‚ established a week‚ and later a month‚ to focus on the history and contributions of black Americans. In his message on the observance of Black History Month 50 years later‚ President Gerald R. Ford connected Black History Month to “the realization of the ideals envisioned by our Founding Fathers‚” such as “[f]reedom and the recognition of individual rights.” For more than four decades—even before he joined the Supreme Court in 1991—Justice Clarence Thomas has profoundly contributed to making those ideals both real and lasting by doggedly defending true equality before the law. The organization Woodson founded in 1915‚ the Association for the Study of African American Life and History‚ explains that he chose February for this observance because of its connection to “two great Americans who played a prominent role in shaping black history; namely‚ Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.” Black communities had for decades been celebrating both of those leaders by marking their birthdays in mid-February. Douglass‚ a former slave‚ delivered his famous “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” speech in Rochester‚ New York‚ on July 5‚ 1852‚ nearly a decade before the Civil War. Calling the Constitution a “glorious liberty document‚” Douglass said: “Now‚ take the Constitution according to its plain reading‚ and I defy the presentation of a single pro-slavery clause in it. On the other hand‚ it will be found to contain principles and purposes‚ entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.” In other words‚ true equality before the law‚ anchored in the consistent “plain reading” of the Constitution‚ is the key to freedom and individual liberty for all. Douglass argued that the Constitution can manifest the Declaration of Independence’s principle of equality only by focusing on “the text and only the text.” Four years later‚ Justice Benjamin Curtis said the same in his 1856 Dred Scott v. Sandford dissent. When a “strict interpretation of the Constitution‚ according to the fixed rules which govern the interpretation of laws‚ is abandoned‚ and the theoretical opinions of individuals are allowed to control its meaning‚” Curtis wrote‚ “we have no longer a Constitution. We are under the government of individual men who‚ for the time being‚ have power to declare what the Constitution is‚ according to their own views of what it ought to mean.” Fast-forward more than 130 years. Thomas‚ during his long tenure as chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission‚ connected those principles in a speech at The Heritage Foundation the day after Constitution Day‚ 1987. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) “Equality of rights‚ not of possessions or entitlements‚” he said‚ “offer[s] the opportunity to be free and self-governing. … [We] must acknowledge each other’s freedom and govern only by the consent of others.” These‚ of course‚ are the very “self-evident truths” asserted in the Declaration of Independence. Two years after his speech at The Heritage Foundation‚ on the eve of his first federal court nomination‚ Thomas indeed wrote about the Constitution as a “logical extension of the Declaration.” This‚ of course‚ can be true only if‚ as Douglass and Curtis had argued‚ judges take the Constitution as it is‚ according its “plain reading.” Thomas has not changed. In an interview with two legal commentators in 2008‚ nearing his 20th year on the Supreme Court‚ Thomas said: “[I]t’s not my constitution to play around with. … I don’t feel I have any particular right to put my gloss on your constitution. My job is simply to interpret it. … People say‚ ‘You are an originalist.’ I just think that we should interpret the Constitution as it’s drafted‚ not as we would have drafted it.” A year earlier‚ Thomas joined the majority in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District‚ which held that assigning students to schools by race is unconstitutional in the absence of any past de jure discrimination. Giving school boards “a free hand to make decisions on the basis of race‚” he wrote‚ is “reminiscent of [the approach] advocated by the segregationists in Brown v. Board of Education” … . This approach is just as wrong today as it was a half-century ago.” The Constitution‚ Thomas argued‚ “require[s] us to be much more demanding before permitting local school boards to make decisions based on race.” The Constitution to which he referred‚ of course‚ is the real one‚ the one implementing the Declaration’s principle of equality‚ the one that has not been captured by political interests. Thomas‚ therefore‚ is making an enormous contribution to black history by demonstrating what it means to take the principles of freedom and individual rights seriously. He is able to do this‚ decade after decade‚ because of a depth of personal character that acts by conviction‚ rather than fear. His speech on Feb. 13‚ 2001‚ at the American Enterprise Institute‚ in fact‚ was titled “Be Not Afraid.” One must be “clear and confident about one’s judicial philosophy and have the courage to stand by the decisions that an honest adherence to the law requires.” Thomas cited Alexander Hamilton from The Federalist No. 78 about the need to minimize “arbitrary discretion in the courts.” He explained that “judges should adopt principles of interpretation and methods of analysis that reduce judicial discretion.” These include “seek[ing] the original understanding of the provision’s text if the meaning of that text is not readily apparent.” Those principles and their impartial application‚ not the slings and arrows of “those who will respond as brutes‚” should be the basis for debate about the judiciary’s power and the appointment of its judges. “It is bravery‚” Thomas said‚ “that is required to secure freedom.” Thomas has served on the Supreme Court for nearly 33 years and is now on the Top 10 list of longest-serving members. Thankfully‚ however‚ his contribution to our freedom will continue. He has inspired legions of law clerks who are now professors‚ practitioners and federal judges themselves. One of them‚ U.S. Circuit Judge James Ho‚ who clerked for Thomas during the 2005-2006 term‚ delivered the 2023 Joseph Story Distinguished Lecture at The Heritage Foundation and titled it “Pressure Is a Privilege: Judges‚ Umpires‚ and Ignoring the Booing of the Crowd.” He not only argued that originalism is the only legitimate method of interpretation‚ but offered three suggestions to judges when the crowd boos—expect it‚ get used it to it‚ and get comfortable with it. Do your job‚ Ho urged‚ and then go home. During Black History Month—and all other times—we must celebrate those who stand firm for the principles that make freedom and individual rights possible. Clarence Thomas is at the top of the list. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post A Black History Month Tribute to Clarence Thomas appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Two Israeli hostages in Gaza were rescued during a raid Sunday in the city of Rafah‚ the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Monday. IDF troops on the ground rescued the two hostages during a nighttime raid that involved firefights with Hamas operatives and airstrikes across the region‚ IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a public statement Monday. Israel continues its monthslong war against Hamas in Gaza in an effort to eradicate the terrorist group and rescue over 130 remaining hostages. The two hostages freed were identified as Fernando Simon Marman and Louis Marman‚ two Israeli-Argentinian citizens‚ according to Reuters. “This rescue mission underscores the importance of our ground operation in Gaza. We have a moral obligation to bring all our hostages home‚ an obligation that we will continue doing everything in our power to fulfill.”Watch the full statement by IDF Spokesperson RAdl. Daniel… pic.twitter.com/M29G46pJw1— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 12‚ 2024 “Last night‚ we brought Louis and Fernando home‚” Hagari said Monday during a press briefing. “This was a complex rescue operation under fire in the heart of Rafah‚ based on highly sensitive and valuable intelligence from the Intelligence Directorate and the Israel Security Agency.” The IDF breached the building in Rafah where Marman and Har were being held by Hamas and immediately engaged in a firefight with the terrorist operatives‚ Hagari said. IDF soldiers protected Marman and Har from the firefight and quickly moved them‚ airlifting them out of the region and providing them with medical care at Sheba Medical Center in Israel. “Alongside the excitement‚ even this morning after the successful rescue operation‚ we do not forget for a moment that in Gaza‚ 134 hostages are still being held‚” Hagari said. “I want to address you this morning: If you are listening to me‚ know that we are determined to bring you back home.” Israel has carried out a sweeping counteroffensive against Hamas in retaliation for the terrorist attacks against the nation on Oct. 7‚ killing over 1‚200 civilians and kidnapping hundreds of others. The Israeli government has been at odds with the Biden administration over the scope and duration of the war. This report originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Israel Rescues 2 Hostages From Hamas During Nighttime Raid in Gaza appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Cringe: Joe Biden Discovered Shrinkflation and Alerts the American People

Germany's Mad Rush to Renewables Has Left Them No Economic Horn to Teuton

Along the murky coast of the Baltic Sea‚ archaeologists have found the submerged ruins of a megastructure that was built over 10‚000 years ago. Measuring almost 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) in length‚ the immense structure was likely created by hungry Stone Age hunters with a taste for reindeer.If workings are correct‚ it would make the site one of the oldest human-made hunting structures on Earth‚ plus one of the largest known Stone Age structures in Europe.Known as the Blinkerwall‚ the structure was recently discovered in the Bay of Mecklenburg along Germany’s northern coast by a team from Kiel University‚ Rostock University‚ and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research. They used a combination of ships and submarine drones to survey the area‚ collecting sonar data on the shape and size of the long-lost structure.Located on the shore at a depth of 21 meters (68 feet)‚ the Blinkerwall is made of at least 1‚673 individual stones‚ most of which are shorter than 1 meter (3 feet)‚ placed side by side over a distance of 971 meters (3‚185 feet). The sheer number of rocks‚ as well as their organized placement‚ told the researchers that the formation was not crafted by natural processes. While the Blinkerwall has since been lost to the sea‚ the site was on dry land around 10‚000 years following the end of the last Ice Age. However‚ it was ultimately flooded due to sea level rise sometime between 8‚600 to 8‚000 years ago. This was a time when much of Northern Europe was swamped by rising seas. Around 8‚200 years ago‚ the landmass that connected Britain to mainland Europe – known as Doggerland – was flooded with water due to a tsunami caused by a submarine landslide. The researchers explain that the “most plausible functional interpretation” for the Blinkerwall is that it was used as a gigantic structure to aid the hunting of large ungulates‚ primarily the reindeer that roamed the region around this time. The wall's topographic orientation suggests it would have crossed paths with the reindeer’s biannual migration routes across the North German Plain. By channeling the herds of wandering beasts into an enclosed dead-end‚ they would be easy pickings for Neolithic hunter-gatherers who were quickly learning to master the art of reindeer hunting. Similar hunting structures have been found elsewhere in the world. Beneath Lake Huron‚ one of the five Great Lakes of North America‚ you can find a 9‚000-year-old hunting structure that led caribou into a cul-de-sac formed by the natural cobble pavement. At 10‚000 years old‚ the Blinkerwall is a whole millennia older and likely represents one of the oldest human-made hunting structures in the world. On top of that‚ there are barely any other similar structures associated with Stone Age Europe‚ making the recent discovery all the more exceptional.The new study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It’s truly heartwarming when celebrities step off their glamorous pedestals to shine a light on causes that matter. Thanks to The Dodo‚ stars take a moment to go on blind dates with rescue dogs‚ all in the hope of finding these pups a place to call home. And who better to take part than actress... The post Scarlett Johansson takes shelter dog on ‘dream date’ that’s melting the internet’s heart appeared first on Animal Channel.

The Biden administration and leftist billionaire George Soros are tied at the hip‚ working in cahoots to undermine Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.  The U.S. Department of State entrusted Soros-funded Ökotárs Foundation and media watchdog Mérték Media Monitor to hand over $320‚000 in taxpayer dollars to 15 media outlets critical of the pro-freedom Hungarian government‚ according to NGO and government documents. European Parliament elections take place from June 6 to June 9. Similarly‚ Hungary will hold local elections on June 9. Hungary-based political analyst András László and Rod Dreher spread the news in Jan. 27 posts on X.  László wrote that “left-wing NGOs announce which Hungarian media outlets will receive direct financing from the US Embassy. More than a DOZEN‚ a total of 15 media will receive US taxpayer money.” Echoing László‚ Dreher reacted to the news: “US taxpayers are funding anti government media in Hungary‚ a NATO ally.” The Biden administration contracted Ökotárs and Mérték to identify and evaluate which Hungarian media outlets would receive the taxpayer-funded grants‚ a State Department document revealed. MRC Business verified the contract through information published by grants.gov‚ the online database of federal grants‚ as well as documents provided by Ökotárs and Mérték.  The disturbing bottom line is this: Foreigners are deciding what foreign entities will get American tax dollars. Under President Joe Biden‚ we have farmed out our foreign policy to foreigners.  A translation provided by the Ökotárs Foundation backs László’s assertions of U.S. Embassy involvement:  Following the approval of the supporting Embassy of the United States of America in Budapest‚ a decision was made regarding the applications received in the first call for applications operated by the Mért Media Analysis Workshop and the Ökotárs Foundation. A total of 32 applications were received by the deadline of November 15‚ 2023‚ of which 6 did not pass the formal inspection. Out of the 26 valid applications‚ the following 15 will now receive support‚ totaling HUF 115‚608‚880.  The release then listed the media outlets that would receive funding before making it clear that this was only the “first round” of applications and encouraged media outlets to apply for the next round on Feb. 29.  If this were not enough‚ a translation provided by the Mérték Media website openly admits where the funding comes from: “The Mérték Media Analysis Workshop and the Ökotárs Foundation (hereafter: Mérték and Ökotárs) are announcing a tender using the resources of the United States Embassy in Budapest to support Hungarian national and local independent media.” In 2023‚ a U.S. government grant was posted titled “U.S. Ambassador's Independent Media Support (AIMS) Fund.” This grant proposed to “provide support to Hungarian independent media outlets and civil society organizations actively advancing media freedom in Hungary.” Additionally‚ it searched for an “implementing partner [who] will manage funds that will be disbursed to sub-recipients.” Disturbingly‚ this grant had a ceiling of $500‚000.  Soros has funded Both Ökotárs and Mérték. Between 2017 and 2022‚ Soros gave $306‚147 to the Ökotárs Foundation and $88‚113 to Mérték Media Monitor. According to descriptions provided by the Open Society Foundation‚ all three donations to Mérték Media Monitor aligned with the current goals of the State Department.  MRC Vice President Dan Schneider ripped the State Department for this contentious partnership: “It is wrong for U.S. government employees to farm out how our tax dollars are spent.  It is outrageous that a lazy diplomat in our embassy relied on the Soros crew to figure out how to spend our taxpayer dollars.”  At least five of the media outlets that were awarded grant funding were funded by Soros. Soros has funded Nyugat Media for years‚ giving them $259‚142 in five donations from 2017-2020. “Let’s make democracy together‚” a $25‚000 donation claimed in its description. ” A second donation referred to Nyugat Media as “the largest‚ independent media site in the Hungarian countryside.” Soros gave $129‚962 to the Tilos Cultural Foundation from 2016 to 2022‚ four grants in total. Two of the grants reference support for “independent community media in Hungary” and “alternative values.”  Soros has also given $197‚478 to grant-recipient Atlatszo.hu Kozhasznu Nonprofit Kft. Two out of the four Soros grants were earmarked for “independent media‚” while another donation aided collaboration with a different State Department beneficiary Magyar Hang. Soros gave $15‚000 to grant-recipient Debreciner in 2019‚ again for “independent” media.  The leftist billionaire also gave $15‚000 to the media outlet Szabad Pecs in 2020. The description given beside the donation on the Open Society Foundation website aligns closely with the purported goals of the State Department initiative: “To strengthen the sustainability of Szabad Pecs‚ one of the last remaining‚ independent‚ local news portal in Hungary and thereby to strengthen independent journalism and access to information in the Hungarian countryside.” This atrocious initiative is unfortunately characteristic of the Biden administration’s behavior in Hungary. The U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Dave Pressman attends and even hosts LGBT events at which he attacks Orban and members of his political party Fidesz. The ambassador and the embassy he oversees have an antagonistic relationship with the U.S. ally they are supposed to work with.  Turns out that the State Department pours money into the coffers of anti-Orban media‚ while the American ambassador complains about “state media churning out propaganda.”