ISS : trois astronautes de retour sur Terre vendrediVendredi, trois astronautes de la Station spatiale internationale (ISS) seront de retour sur Terre. Le voyage de l’équipage était à l’origine prévu le 8 septembre dernier. Mais l’agence spatiale russe avait reporté le vol suite à l’échec du lancement d’un vaisseau russe censé ravitailler l’ISS.Vendredi, à 4h38 de Moscou (0h38 GMT), le vaisseau Soyouz TMA-21 se désarrimera de l’ISS avec à son bord trois des six astronautes de l’équipage de la station, a annoncé le Centre russe de contrôle des vols spatiaux (Tsoup). Comme le rapporte l’agence RIA Novosti, l’atterrissage de la navette est prévu le même jour à 8h00 (4h00 GMT), dans les steppes du Kazakhstan.Le retour sur Terre des Russes Andreï Borissenko et Alexandre Samokoutiaev, et de l’Américain Ronald Garan, était initialement fixé au 8 septembre. Mais l’échec qui a suivi le lancement d’une fusée Soyouz transportant un cargo russe Progress a conduit l’agence spatiale Roskosmos à retarder ce voyage, et à suspendre tous les vols habités et inhabités vers l’ISS. Le prochain lancement d’une navette transportant des astronautes n’aura pas lieu avant la fin du mois d’octobre, alors qu’il était prévu le 22 septembre. Toutefois, si ce vol devait être à nouveau reporté, Roskomos envisage la possibilité d’évacuer les trois astronautes encore à bord de la station spatiale, qui resterait alors inhabitée (voir notre article). Depuis la mise au rebut des navettes spatiales de la Nasa, les vaisseaux russes sont en effet les seuls à pouvoir assurer le transport d’astronautes et de matériel à bord de l’ISS.Le 13 septembre 2011 à 20:06 • Maxime Lambert
LAppstore dAmazon sétend dans plusieurs pays
L’Appstore d’Amazon s’étend dans plusieurs paysOuverte depuis le mois de mars aux Etats-Unis, la boutique d’applications Android d’Amazon s’étend à l’international. Plusieurs pays, dont la France ne fait malheureusement pas partie, peuvent désormais accéder à l’Appstore du géant du commerce en ligne.Six mois après son lancement aux Etats-Unis, l’Appstore Android d’Amazon est disponible dans une douzaine de pays à travers le monde. D’après Digital Reader, le Royaume-Uni, l’Australie, l’Inde, le Canada, l’Afrique du Sud ou encore la Pologne peuvent désormais accéder au magasin d’applications destinées aux terminaux Android. Les Français, eux, devront encore attendre.À lire aussiAipoly, l’application qui pourrait révolutionner la vie des malvoyants et non-voyantsLe lancement à l’international de l’Appstore n’a pas été annoncé par Amazon, qui selon les observateurs, est en pleine préparation de la sortie de sa tablette sous Android. Un lancement très attendu, dont la date n’a pas encore été communiquée par le géant du commerce en ligne. L’arrivée de l’Appstore dans plusieurs pays semble présager une sortie simultanée de la tablette aux Etats-Unis et dans le reste du monde. A noter qu’Amazon fait toujours l’objet d’une plainte déposée par Apple devant la cour fédérale d’Oakland au sujet de l’appellation “App Store”. La firme à la pomme demande à la justice d’interdire l’emploi de cette expression (voir notre article).Le 20 septembre 2011 à 14:44 • Maxime Lambert
Le Kindle Touch débarquera en France… bientôt
Le Kindle Touch débarquera en France… bientôt ?Depuis son lancement le Kindle Touch, premier Kindle avec un écran tactile, n’était disponible que sur le sol américain. Aujourd’hui, les livraisons internationales sont enfin possibles… sauf vers certains pays, y compris la France. Cependant, ce ne devrait être qu’un contretemps et l’arrivée du Kindle Touch serait tout de même pour bientôt.La France n’est pas le seul pays exclu, l’Europe est en fait encore très peu desservie. Sont ainsi également exclus : l’Angleterre, l’Espagne, l’Italie ou l’Allemagne. Il s’agit en fait de tous les pays qui ont des Kindles Stores spécifiques. Ce qui suggère qu’Amazon pourrait y faire de vrais lancements, avec campagne de pub à l’appui.À lire aussiL’App-Shop d’Amazon enfin disponible en FranceLe Kindle Touche pourrait donc bientôt aussi débarquer en France. Mais si les Américains profitent d’un choix entre une version Wi-Fi et une version 3G+WiFi, à l’international il faudra se contenter du WiFi. Sans doute aurait-il été trop compliqué pour Amazon de former des partenariats avec les opérateurs téléphoniques de chaque pays, car Amazon tient à offrir une 3G gratuite à leurs clients.Par ailleurs, si toute la gamme Kindle était jusque récemment restée basée sur une ergonomie performante à base de boutons, le Kindle Fire (à écran normal) et le Kindle Touch (encre électronique, noir et blanc mais plus confortable) sont passés au tactile et cela ne leur réussit pas trop mal. Paradoxalement, le clavier tactile y est même meilleur que les claviers physiques de premiers Kindle, dont le mécanisme laissait trop à désirer. Le Kindle Touch n’a ainsi plus qu’un seul bouton, que l’on confond d’ailleurs sur les photos avec un haut-parleur !Outre-Atlantique, certains observateurs pensent que l’arrivée du Kindle Touch Wi-Fi pourrait être synchronisée avec le lancement du Kindle Fire, imminente. D’autres rapportent officieusement une sortie prévue pour avril 2012. Ne reste donc plus qu’à attendre afin d’en savoir plus. Le 8 février 2012 à 14:55 • Maxime Lambert
Lexmark Office Edge numériser en rectoverso
Lexmark Office Edge : numériser en recto-verso De nouvelles imprimantes multifonctions ont été annoncées par Lexmark. Leur nouveauté : les deux faces d’une feuille peuvent être scannées.Cette gamme Office Edge est destinée aux entreprises. Elle comprend trois modèles : les « Pro4000 », « Pro5500 » et « Pro5500t », dotées d’un second bac papier de 550 feuilles supplémentaires.Ils sont tous basés sur la technologie jet d’encre. Celle-ci a évolué et serait désormais à la hauteur de la technologie laser, du moins le laser d’entrée de gamme, en termes de rapidité et de coût de l’encre. Les cartouches, aux nombres de 4, sont désormais immobiles, reliées aux têtes d’impression mouvantes par de fins tuyaux. Elles prennent ainsi de l’avance sur les lasers d’entrée de gamme avec une première page en seulement 7 secondes. Leur capacité est également améliorée : 2.500 pages pour la noire et de 1.600 pages pour les trois de couleur. Leur nouvelle position rend également leur remplacement plus simple.À lire aussiMaladie de Charcot : symptômes, causes, traitement, où en est on ?En plus d’imprimer en recto-verso, la Pro5500 et la Pro5500t sont aussi capables de numériser les deux faces d’une feuille en un seul passage. A priori, c’est la première fois que des imprimantes commerciales réussissent ce tour de force. Pour le reste, il s’agit de multifonctions classiques et bien équipées : Fast Ethernet, WiFi N, Airprint Apple, connexion Android. L’écran n’est pas tactile, large de 11 cm en ce qui concerne les deux Pro550.Les imprimantes multifonctions Pro4000, Pro5500 et Pro5500t coûteront 250, 500 et 600 euros. Le 14 avril 2012 à 15:00 • Maxime Lambert
Lhémophilie cette maladie génétique qui empêche le sang de coaguler
L’hémophilie, cette maladie génétique qui empêche le sang de coagulerAujourd’hui, 17 avril, se tient la Journée mondiale de l’hémophilie. Une maladie génétique rare qui affecte essentiellement les hommes et perturbe la coagulation du sang, conduisant à un risque élevé d’hémorragie.Connue depuis des millénaires, l’hémophilie affecte en France entre 5.000 et 6.000 personnes. Mais il existe plusieurs types, et donc plusieurs niveaux de sévérité de cette maladie. En effet, l’hémophilie est due à une mutation d’un des gènes codant pour les facteurs qui interviennent dans la coagulation du sang. En fonction de la mutation, il peut s’agir d’hémophilie A (la plus courante), d’hémophilie B ou d’hémophilie C. Les modifications génétiques provoquent un déficit de production du facteur touché et conduit donc à une perturbation de la coagulation. La maladie affecte essentiellement les hommes dans la mesure où les gènes en question se trouvent sur le chromosome X (excepté pour l’hémophilie C). Les femmes peuvent également être porteuses d’une des mutations qui ne les affecteront pas puisqu’elles disposent de deux chromosomes X mais qu’elles pourront transmettre à leur progéniture. En fonction du type de mutations et du facteur affecté, les symptômes peuvent donc être plus ou moins sérieux et se manifester plus ou moins tôt. Si l’hémophilie est mineur ou modérée, il existe des risques de saignement prolongé dans certaines circonstances mais les hémorragies restent rares.En revanche, si elle est sévère, le malade peut saigner sans raison évidente et présente un grand risque d’hémorragies au niveau de blessures mais aussi au niveau des organes, des articulations ou des muscles. Ces dernières peuvent alors avoir de graves conséquences organiques, affectant grandement le quotidien des malades. Une thérapie génique prometteuse À lire aussiDengue : symptômes, traitement, prévention, où en est-on ?A ce jour, il n’existe aucun traitement qui permet de guérir de l’hémophilie au vu de son origine génétique. Mais la connaissance de la maladie qui s’est affinée depuis les années 1960 a permis de mettre au point des traitements contre les symptômes. Ceux-ci consistent à pallier le déficit en facteur de coagulation par l’intermédiaire d’injection d’intraveineuse dès le plus jeune âge. Cela permet de rétablir une activité coagulante suffisante pour limiter les hémorragies voire les prévenir. Néanmoins, en décembre dernier, des chercheurs ont présenté une technique de thérapie génique qui pourrait permettre de rendre inutile ces traitements. Au cours de leurs travaux, ceux-ci sont parvenus à provoquer la production de facteur IX durablement chez six patients atteints d’hémophilie B, en administrant par intraveineuse une version normale du gène endommagé. Quatre des six patients ont ainsi pu se passer de leur traitement habituel. Pour en savoir plus sur la maladie, rendez-vous sur le site de l’Association française des hémophiles. Le 17 avril 2012 à 10:25 • Maxime Lambert
Ferrero sengage à payer pour cause de Nutella trop gras
Ferrero s’engage à payer pour cause de Nutella trop grasSuite à une action intentée en nom collectif par une mère californienne, Ferrero, le fabricant du Nutella s’est engagé à verser jusqu’à quatre dollars par pot de sa pâte à tartiner acheté aux Etats-Unis entre 2008 et 2012. Motif : le Nutella est trop gras.Bien que des milliards de pot de Nutella soient vendus chaque semaine dans les supermarchés du monde entier, la pâte à tartiner à succès fait l’objet d’un débat récurrent. En effet, inventé en Italie en 1944, le Nutella contient du cacao et du lait écrémé mais aussi du sucre et de l’huile de palme dans des quantités régulièrement décriées par les spécialistes. Une composition qui fait aujourd’hui l’objet d’une action en nom collectif aux Etats-Unis. C’est une mère californienne qui a déposé plainte en février 2011 en expliquant qu’elle ne s’était pas rendu compte que le Nutella était aussi gras. Elle a ainsi expliqué que Ferrero promouvait son produit comme “un exemple de petit-déjeuner équilibré et savoureux” et une pâte “plus saine qu’elle ne l’est en réalité”. “J’ai été choquée de découvrir que le Nutella était une nourriture ‘ni saine ni nourrissante’, mais qu’il était à peine mieux que des bonbons, et qu’il contenait des niveaux dangereux de graisses saturées”, raconte t-elle dans sa plainte relayée par l’AFP.Si Ferrero a nié les accusations, l’entreprise n’en est toutefois pas restée là. “Nous pensons qu”il est dans l’intérêt de l’entreprise de résoudre ces questions, et nous avons conclu un accord avec les parties impliquées”, a ainsi déclaré un porte-parole de Ferrero à l’AFP par courriel vendredi. Concrètement, Ferrero USA, filiale du géant italien Ferrero s’est en fait engagé à payer jusqu’à quatre euros à tous les consommateurs qui en feront la demande mais selon des conditions précises.Une composition bientôt mieux détaillée ? À lire aussiVoici pourquoi il faut éviter les aliments ultra-transformésLes demandeurs doivent avoir acheté un pot en Californie entre août 2009 et le 23 janvier 2012, ou dans le reste des Etats-Unis entre janvier 2008 et le 3 février 2012. L’accord ne concerne néanmoins pas le reste du monde. Au total, le groupe réglera ainsi 3,05 millions de dollars, en versant moins de quatre dollars par pot si le nombre de plaignants est trop élevé. En outre, selon le texte publié sur le site nutellaclassactionsettlement.com, Ferrero s’est également engagé à “modifier certaines déclarations marketing sur le Nutella” et à mieux détailler ses éléments nutritionnels.Le 30 avril 2012 à 12:06 • Maxime Lambert
Le système volumétrique des marchands de lAntiquité
Le système volumétrique des marchands de l’Antiquité Publiant leurs travaux dans PLoS ONE, des chercheurs israéliens, modélisant en 3D la forme de cruches antiques trouvées par les archéologues, ont redécouvert le système de mesure qui permettait aux Égyptiens et aux Phéniciens de négocier vin ou huile avec précision.”Parce qu’habitués au système métrique, qui définit des unités de volume basées sur le cube, les archéologues modernes ont cru que les marchands de l’Antiquité ne pouvaient évaluer qu’approximativement la capacité de ces cruches rondes”, commence le Pr Itzhak Benenson, du Département de géographie de l’Université de Tel Aviv. Mais sa collègue Elena Zapassky, mathématicienne, a réussi à construire des modèles 3D à partir de centaines de cruches phéniciennes mises au jour à Tel Megiddo. Une importante ville cananéenne située en Israël. À lire aussiLe volume maximal des baladeurs limité davantage ?Grâce à des méthodes statistiques, elle a alors découvert le secret de ces récipients servant à transporter vin ou huile. “L’unité égyptienne du volume est appelé le hekat, et elle est égale à 4,8 litres (…). Une cruche sphérique de 52 cm de circonférence, ce qui équivaut à une coudée royale égyptienne, contient exactement un demi-hekat. Dans un grand pourcentage des récipients que nous avons mesurés, la circonférence est proche d’une coudée, et le marchand pouvait donc savoir que le volume du pot était d’un demi-hekat par simple mesure de sa circonférence”, explique ainsi le Dr Yuval Gadot, co-auteur de l’étude citée par Sci-news.L’équipe estime que le système, développé par les anciens Égyptiens, a été utilisé dans la Méditerranée orientale – par les Phéniciens, notamment – entre 1.500 et 700 avant notre ère, environ.Le 9 juin 2012 à 16:09 • Maxime Lambert
Produire plus de blé le nouveau défi de lagroalimentaire mondial
Produire plus de blé : le nouveau défi de l’agroalimentaire mondialMercredi, les autorités scientifiques du G20 se réunissent afin de trouver une solution à la pénurie de blé qui pourrait survenir dans quelques années. Produire plus sans s’étaler, voici la problématique des chercheurs après avoir interpellé le monde sur l’avenir de la céréale.Lors du sommet agricole du G20 en 2011, le message était passé. Le blé vient à manquer et la demande augmente. Mais une fois le problème mis en lumière, il convient désormais de trouver une solution. Comment accroître les rendements de la production de blé sans nécessairement s’étaler constitue aujourd’hui la grande problématique pour la “Wheat Initiative”, approuvée en juin 2011, en marge du sommet des 20 principales économies de la planète.Celle-ci rassemble les experts d’une quinzaine d’instituts publics et sept entreprises privées qui vont tenter de résoudre le problème en engageant de solides perspectives d’avenir. La volonté première est ainsi de produire plus de blé que ce n’est le cas aujourd’hui. Et la barre est haute au vu du “déficit de recherches sur le blé” estime le docteur Hélène Lucas, directrice de recherche à l’INRA (Institut national de la recherche agronomique) et coordinatrice scientifique internationale de la Wheat Initiative.Amasser un maximum de bléOn estime à 650 millions de tonnes la production de blé annuelle, la plaçant troisième céréale la plus cultivée. 58% pour la consommation humaine, 34% animale et les 8% restants utilisés dans l’industrie. La Chine se place au premier rang des producteurs (16,9%), suivie par l’Inde, la Russie, les Etats-Unis et la France. En Europe, la culture est intensive et on enregistre en 2010 127 millions de tonnes échangées. Mais la population ne cesse d’augmenter, provoquant une hausse constante de la demande. Pour exemple, en Afrique, un habitant consommait 25 kilos par an dans les années 60 contre 50 aujourd’hui. L’ensemble constitue pourtant une répartition inégale à l’échelle mondiale. D’un point de vue rendement, la moyenne serait de 3 tonnes de blé produit par hectare dans les pays en développement, lorsque la France et le Royaume-Uni en enregistrent sept.Maîtriser la productionLe plus important semble aujourd’hui de maîtriser cette production, la comprendre, pour mieux l’améliorer. D’après le docteur Lucas, il faudrait mieux connaître les méthodes de rendement qui permettraient d’améliorer celui-ci de manière à pouvoir augmenter la production mondiale de 60% d’ici 2050. Elle parle également d’une “bonne maîtrise des rotations”, d’une “préparation des sols” mais également d’un “apport de nutriments en utilisant des variétés adaptées aux conditions pédoclimatiques (conditions climatiques au sol affectant une plante)”. À lire aussiMaladie de Charcot : symptômes, causes, traitement, où en est on ?Les progrès selon elle, seraient faciles à faire à la condition de s’y mettre rapidement. Mais un des plus gros enjeux de cette réunion reste le séquençage des gènes de blé. Bien que le riz ou d’autres céréales ont vu leur génome déjà séquencé, celui du blé reste encore mystérieux et un seul de ses gènes a été séquencé. Or, mieux connaître les gènes de la plante pourrait permettre de gagner en prudence lors du choix d’un blé plus résistant aux maladies et aux agressions climatiques. Les maladies attaquant la céréale sont diverses et constituent un véritable fléau (carie, septoriose, fusariose). Mais pour séquencer les 21 chromosomes du blé, il faut s’organiser, estime Hélène Lucas et mobiliser au moins 15,5 millions d’euros. Heureusement, le G20 agricole de 2011 a permis “une re-prise de conscience que le blé est important”, se félicite le Dr Lucas. La recherche s’axe donc aujourd’hui sur l’organisation des actions à mener. Le blé génétiquement modifié laissé de côtéLe sommet rassemble de nombreuses institutions comme le CIMMYT (Centre International pour Amélioration des Cultures de blé et de maïs). Des contacts ont été pris avec le Kazakhstan et l’Ukraine qui sont de gros exportateurs de blé. La Sibérie et le Canada se distinguent également par une culture semée au printemps, supportant mal les basses températures. Les recherches sur un blé génétiquement modifié continuent cependant, en France et en Angleterre. Mais sa commercialisation n’a pas encore été évoquée.Le 15 mai 2013 à 20:14 • Maxime Lambert
Bethesdas Review Policy Lets Talk About Game Journalism
Yesterday Bethesda announced that it would be sending out review copies to critics one day before release. It’s a problem that sounds like whiny entitlement from game journalists. After all, why should we complain? We’re getting games free, and a day early! Do we know how many gamers would kill for that?I, of course, don’t think all or even most gamers think that way and forgive me for building a small strawman. It’s an extreme perspective, but one I understand and want to explain the fundamental problems with it because they feed directly into the problems with Bethesda’s review policy.Reviewing games is a dream job. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, or that it isn’t a job. I’m not a full-time game journalist (my main beat is broader consumer technology), but I’ve reviewed tons of games and systems, and I’m genuinely glad for the opportunity to do so. It’s still work, and no matter how snarky or curse-ridden your takes might be, no matter how stupid the t-shirts you wear in the office, and no matter how many hours a day you get to hold a gamepad and get paid for it, there are still standards of professionalism and quality that should be expected of game reviewers. The dream job should be treated like a job that deserves effort and expertise.There are reasons published; professional game reviews carry more weight than user reviews. They’re written by people who do this for a living. They don’t just play all the cool games; they play all the games they can and force their way through the bad ones. And they do it for years and years, getting a feel for how good and bad games get, how the industry itself works, and what gamers should expect for their money. They also tend to be pretty good writers and go into greater depth than the vast majority of user reviews.current Bethesda line-up via bethesda.netIt’s not just about the score. Don’t stop when you see the number. It’s about the thousand-plus words that come after the score, telling you exactly what to expect from games in mechanics, graphics, stability, features, content, and actual fun. A 9 (or 4.5, or 93, or however you want to grade games) might not be the best game for you because it doesn’t have the single-player campaign you want to play through, or the multiplayer is too limited, or there are tiny frustrations from previous games that they didn’t fix. A 7 (or 3.5, or 72) could be your new favorite game if it’s something you really like and it has enough content to satisfy you. That’s what you get when you read reviews.That’s reviews, plural. Don’t read just one and then stop. Reading three or four published game reviews will give you the insight into whether you really should spend $60 on the newest AAA game or whether you should hold off. And reading three or four preferred review feeds can put on your radar obscure titles you might end up loving.Now, it takes time to play through these games and more time on top of that to write reviews. A 24-hour lead time for a game as huge as Skyrim isn’t just unreasonable; it’s impossible. Gamers might figure out how to exploit and speedrun to the ending in 20 minutes a day after it comes out, but reviewers need to pour hours into what they review. Rocks need to be turned over, and corners need to be explored so we can get the fullest understanding of the game we can get in a short period of time. And that period is reasonably four days to a week, minimum.No early review copies of Dishonored 2 here – via bethesda.netSo it’s launch day. A highly anticipated game comes out now. And the publisher sent out review copies yesterday. There aren’t any reviews of the games to read because we didn’t get them far enough ahead of time. You’re in GameStop. You see the name. You pay your $60 and take the game home.Congratulations! You got DOOM, and it’s awesome! That’s what Bethesda’s banking on, and how they’re justifying this. But what if it isn’t DOOM? What if it’s No Man’s Sky? What if it’s Batman: Arkham Knight for the PC? What if it’s Aliens: Colonial Marines? What if it’s Duke Nukem Forever?Game publishers don’t owe game reviewers early games. But remember that they don’t owe you good games, either. They don’t even owe you warnings that they’re putting out bad games. You don’t owe game reviewers adoration, or respect, or even clicks. Only one party here owes another party anything. Game reviewers owe you the advice and, if necessary, the warning that reviews provide. And when we get games a day before they come out, we can’t get you that warning fast enough.Bethesda says they’re sending out game copies the day before release so reviewers and gamers can have the same experience. And for multiplayer games, that’s actually fair (but beta and press servers solve that problem easily). Bethesda also says that you should wait to buy a game if you want to read the reviews first. But that leaves the whole first wave of gamers throwing their money at Bethesda without any insight into the final version of the game. They don’t get a warning. And if there’s a game-breaking bug or a widespread problem with a certain hardware configurations or if the game’s just bad? Well, enjoy your frustration. That’s part of the experience you can share with us.There’s only one reason for publishers not to send out early copies of your games, and none of them help gamers in any way: to get as much money as they can from the first wave of purchases before word of mouth sets in,because they aren’t completely confident in the game they’re putting out. And that’s within their right. They’re under no obligation to send us early review copies. And they’re also under no obligation whatsoever not to screw you over, as long as it’s legal.Generally, game journalists and reviewers aren’t corrupt, entitled fanboys. Sure, there are times when scores are higher than they would have been if we had time to really chew on the game (I have some high ratings in the past that I regret, in hindsight). But we try to be professional, thorough, and helpful because it’s our job to help warn you before you throw your money at a game you end up hating. When game publishers decide to get in the way of that, it’s because they think their game might just be one you end up hating. That’s why we’re here, and why we do what we do. Play ‘Fallout 76’ Nuclear Winter Battle Royale as Long as Yo…Tesla Cars Get Racing Game, YouTube, and ‘Fallout’ at E3 2019 Stay on target
MovieBob Reviews IRON FIST Season 1
The Cinematic Sex of Marvel’s Netflix UniverseMarvel’s Axed Netflix Shows Could Be Revived by Disney Well, it’s finally happened – The Marvel Cinematic/Television/Streaming Universe has finally produced an installment that simply outright sucks. Not in the Iron Man 2 “Aw, that wasn’t as good as the first one” sense, or a Thor: The Dark World “Well hey, at least Loki is still fun” sense or even a third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Wow, this got boring fast” sense – Iron Fist is a legitimate full-on piece of shit. It is, without exaggeration, one of the worst TV shows I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch; and I watched CSI: Cyber. Even in the superhero pantheon, it would stand out: Perhaps not as bad as Batman V Superman, but absolutely on the failure level of Steel, Catwoman or Suicide Squad.Now let’s make something clear: Iron Fist is a bad show from the skin all the way down to the core, and it still would’ve been a bad show no matter who they got to play Danny Rand. There’s a lot of controversy over that point because the original 70s comics incarnation of Iron Fist was one of those Orientalist appropriation narratives (think Remo Williams. Or for that matter, Doctor Strange) largely grounded in a fantasy version of Asian kung-fu mysticism where the hero is a white American who turns out to be “better” at being Asian than the Asians. That sort of thing “sticks out” a lot more these days, and many have opined that changing up the casting might make that less uncomfortable. But make no mistake: Even if making Danny not look exactly like an “enlightened” poseur who wandered over from a froyo stand might make it slightly less cringeworthy when he starts in about “Respecting the DOJO!” or lecturing strangers with Buddhist aphorisms… well, everything else would still be bad.Amusingly, the main reason that Danny Rand being a White kid who inherits the mystical protector mantle of K’un-Lun (for the uninitiated: Shangri-La, basically) was ever remotely important was that it made him an outsider in the world he was tasked to protect. But here, stymied by Marvel TV’s famous cheapness – so tightly-budgeted that they usually can’t afford to have both stuntmen and interior lighting in the same scene. We spend almost no time in K’un-Lun other than some quickie flashbacks, and none of it gives us any actual sense of the place (we see a matte shot exterior, a single generic room, and a random forest stream) that whole thread of the character is completely nonexistent.Also not showing up: The Iron Fist costume (a predecessor wears it, briefly, in a hazy flashback), the dragon, pretty much all of the weird mystical kung-fu business that might actually have been worth making a 13 episode TV show about. And don’t expect them to be “saving” any of that potentially-cool material for another season: The final episode manages to end on the biggest raised middle-finger “fuck you!” to audience optimism I may have ever seen on a mainstream TV show – and not in a good way.Instead, Iron Fist starts up with Danny coming back to New York after having been presumed dead for 15 years and spends the majority of its runtime on an incredibly tedious storyline about trying to regain control of his family company. This requires a bevy of supporting characters and a ridiculously convoluted conspiracy narrative that is simply impossible to care about. It ultimately adds nothing of value to the story outside of a rambling subplot about David Wenham faking his death with zombie-magic that (amazingly!) could’ve been excised with almost no effect on the rest of it whatsoever.And yet somehow, all that remains slightly more watchable than when things switch over to Danny’s apparent “real” nemesis: The Hand; who are somehow just as uninteresting here as they were in the last season of Daredevil. That Marvel Netflix has actually managed to make the words “Magical Ninja Death-Cult” the single most boring thing in their entire universe is so incredible I’m almost impressed.Not that it’s possible to care about anything when the entire show is constructed around a series of “reveals” that aren’t worth revealing. Now, look – having a villain whose identity and goals are a mystery is intriguing. Having a hero, we don’t know the whole story of can be even more intriguing. Starting out a show with next to no indication of what it’s actually about or who anyone actually is can be fun… for a little while. But IRON FIST tries to do all three in the same show, so there’s never anything to care about or a fixed point to center on until the fucking season is almost over – and even then, not ONE of these mysteries is compelling enough to have kept a secret.And no, the fight scenes do not make up for it. There’s one sequence that rises above being merely passable, and even then it’s just an extended reference – an opportunity for the filmmakers to demonstrate that they’ve seen the Drunken Master movies. Otherwise, this is the first of the Marvel Netflix shows to have utterly dull action and be almost completely devoid of a signature style: Daredevil was lurid and edgy, Jessica Jones had a noir feel happening, Luke Cage went for an easygoing retro hip-hop angle, etc. Iron Fist? At best, it has the same basic aesthetic as the non-Japanese footage of an average Power Rangers episode.The supporting cast is all similarly adrift: Jessica Henwick has real screen presence, but they’ve handed her a disastrously written version of Colleen Wing who really does feel like she’s only on hand to be a love-interest… at least until they detonate her agency completely with the same basic moronic twist that ruined Elektra in Daredevil (seriously – they’ve done this twice now!). The sole bright spot is seeing Rosario Dawson come back as Claire Temple, and while she’s terrific it’s embarrassing watching the series bend its plot into pretzels to keep her involved: “Hey! Hey, guys! Claire’s back! We listened! We know you all love Claire! Here! Have some super-obvious foreshadowing that maybe she’ll be even MORE involved later!”But the main problem is Danny himself. One can understand how they decided that the “gritty realism” version of Iron Fist would essentially be “that bro you know” who does one-semester backpacking across Asia, comes home thinking he’s a guru and won’t shut up about his Yoga regimen… but I can’t for the life of me imagine why they thought anyone would like such a character. Even if the “optics” of an obnoxious fratboy whose entire arc is about trying to reclaim his various entitlements doesn’t utterly repel you, the character himself will: He’s annoying, glib, snarky, bratty and the show doesn’t seem to realize that none of it is endearing. Nevermind the fact that Finn Jones has no discernible charisma in part and the script can’t keep straight whether he’s naïve, secretive, traumatized or slick from scene to scene.Iron ‘Fish’ the show is the worst thing the Marvel Universe experiment has ever unleashed, but more distressingly Iron Fist the character is easily the least engaging, most unlikable character in their entire superhero menagerie thus far. What’s especially depressing is that it really feels like this character and all the still coyly unexplained Hand bullshit that didn’t work here (or in Daredevil) is going to end up as the main build for The Defenders. That is just not a foundation you’re going build anything worthwhile on. Stay on target
CoffeeTea Meet TeaCoffee With Javazen and Zestea
Stay on target Cascara’s the Coffee Tea Juice You’ve Never Heard OfIt took this guy 11 hours to make a cup of tea I’m a caffeine enthusiast. I try to moderate these days, but I grew up loving Mountain Dew. I pine for the days of Jolt Cola, and I pick up a bottle or two of Bawls whenever I go to Micro Center (and I usually leave Red Bull, because while it’s the biggest energy drink name, it also tastes like soup made from Flintstones Vitamins bouillion). So when I saw that the Coffee and Tea Festival Festival NYC was last weekend, I shlepped up to Greenpoint to attend.Sadly, the days of comically caffeinated coffee is gone. Coffee and tea have evolved with more subdued sensibilities and aesthetics, and I generally approve of this change if only for the health of my kidneys. I still saw two interesting coffee and tea purveyors at the festival, whose wares I’ve been sipping all day. Javazen is a coffee company that infuses tea into its blends, and Zest Tea is a tea company that sells tea with as much caffeine as coffee.Javazen takes the herbal health and relaxation aspects of tea and adds it to their coffee (which itself is sourced from certified organic coffee farmers in Central and South America, though they don’t get much more specific than that). Their standard Balance blend mixes coffee with matcha green tea (processed Japanese green tea powder, not to be confused with sen cha, hoji cha, or kaki cha, which are leaves and stems more conventionally brewed like tea) and cacao nibs.I dislike matcha as a flavor, so I was pleasantly surprised by the Balance blend’s taste. Hints of cacao came through and made the coffee quite smooth, but I didn’t detect more than a tiny note of matcha (usually a sharp, bitter taste) that actually complimented the coffee flavor. I liked it enough that I picked up a 9-ounce bag of the blend and a new French press (I keep losing them) at the booth.Javazen is currently available in four blends: Balance, Boost, Relax, and Pumpkin Spice. Boost has a higher caffeine content and adds yerba mate and acai. Relax has little caffeine and adds Rooibos tea and Goji berry. Pumpkin Spice adds Tulsi tea to an already Chai-like spice blend. They’re available as regular ground coffee, or you can get boxes of brew bags that let you brew the coffee like tea in a cup. The brew bags are about $1.75 per cup, so the grounds are much, much more economical if not quite as convenient.Zest Tea makes caffeinated tea blends. Black tea (and even green tea) already contains caffeine, but Zest Tea blends add more on top. Each cup of Zest Tea has two to three times the caffeine of a cup of black tea, and as much or slightly more caffeine than a cup of coffee. According to Zest Tea, it produces less jitters and crashes than coffee (Javazen makes the same claim), because of the benefits of the tea basically blunting the edge that just coffee creates.I personally can’t tell, because I get jitters even without caffeine and I don’t usually crash from even chugging energy drinks. However, they make a pretty good tea, and after trying it at the show, I bought a bag of Earl Grey which I’m sipping as I write this. Their Earl Grey has approximately 155 milligrams of caffeine per cup, with a pleasant, bright taste that has a hint of lemon. I can sip it without any sweetener if I don’t steep it for too long, which is very nice to see.Zest Teas come in bag form, which is fortunately much less expensive than Javazen’s brew bags at about $0.50 to $0.60 a bag. Besides Earl Grey, Zest Tea has more herbal flavors like a green-and-mint-tea-based Pomegranate Mojito, an orange-pekoe-and-hibiscus-tea-based Blue Lady, and an orange-pekoe-tea-based Apple Cinnamon.If coffee-tea and tea-coffee seem a bit too normal for you, here’s another brewable beverage purveyor I saw at the festival. Four Sigmatic makes mushroom-based coffees and elixirs. They claim mushrooms have tons of health benefits, so they load up their drink mixes with them. I tried their Stay Awake mushroom coffee mix (with cordyceps and chaga), and, well, it tasted like coffee-flavored mushroom broth. I love mushrooms, and I’d certainly consider drinking their stuff again, but you can’t get away from that mushroom flavor.I got a sample packet of their Mushroom Hot Cacao mix with reishi, which I’m afraid to try. Actually, you know what? I’ll try it now, for you readers.Okay, it’s mixed, currently cooling.Smells very cinnamony.You know what? It’s not terrible. Doesn’t taste like hot chocolate at all, but has a pleasant cocoa and cinnamon flavor. Very relaxing, almost like a thin Abuelita. And unlike the coffee, I can’t taste the mushrooms in it. It’s pretty good.
Catfish Directors Set to Write and Direct Mega Man Movie
The Marvel Universe done in the style of MegamanStreet Fighter IV characters reimagined as MegaMan sprites Stay on target There are no signs of a new Mega Man game on the horizon, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s favorite blue robot is out of the limelight. Next year will see the debut of a Mega Man animated series on the Cartoon Network. There is even going to be a new Mega Man Legacy Collection. Now, we hear news that Catfish directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman are in final negotiations to write and direct a Mega Man movie for Fox and Chernin Entertainment.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chernin Entertainment is producing the movie with Masi Oka, who you may know as Hiro from NBC’s Heroes. Other than that, there is no additional information about the film.The biggest question here is whether this would be a live action movie or if it will be computer generated. A Pixar-ish Mega Man film seems to make the most sense, but it’s possible the whole thing could be live action with a ton of visual effects. It’s hard to say which way the producers will go, but I think it would be a smart idea to just make this a CG film so that it can retain the look and feel of the Mega Man series.In most Mega Man games, the titular hero fights against the robot armies of Doctor Wily. The film could easily go down this route. However, there is also the possibility the movie could be based on the Mega Man X series. It’s also possible it could be a big mish-mash of everything Mega Man. Considering how many Mega Man games have been released over the decades, it shouldn’t be hard to find stories to draw inspiration from.With any luck, we’ll hear more about the Mega Man movie soon. In the meantime, we can look forward to playing Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 which is set to release next month.Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.
GEEK PICK Forza Horizon 4
Stay on target We’ve been on a long road with Forza Horizon 4, from getting our first hands-on on with back at E3 to checking it out here in the office along with some nifty Fast and Furious toy cars. But the marquee Xbox One exclusive for this holiday (since Crackdown 3 isn’t until next February) is finally here. And now that the dust has settled, we can say pretty firmly that if you just have even a passing interest in games about driving or seeing big beautiful open-worlds, you should play Forza Horizon 4.The Horizon subseries separates itself from the mainline Forza series with its more relaxed gameplay and tone. They are set during big music festivals where dirtbags vibe out on free love and you’re racing to earn influencer points. Proper Forza games are about serious racing on serious tracks. Motorsport. But Horizon is just about the joy of the open-road. On a gameplay level that means Forza Horizon 4 is an open-world racer where players freely drive around taking on whatever events they stumble across. They can complete in simple races, stuntman missions, cross-country treks, and whatever else goes on in the English countryside setting. There’s so much freedom to devote to whatever discipline you’re most interested in. And there are almost too many lovingly recreated cars to gawk at and drive.But the game is never pushing you into seeing all this content. You experience it at your own pace. It makes the microtransactions less gross, too, especially after a recent tour of how Xbox parental controls showed me how responsible users can put very reasonable limits on young players’ spending habits.The setting is usually the star of a Forza Horizon game. And along with being absolutely gorgeous on Xbox One X, the British hills provide for a unique curvy racing experience. Just be sure to listen to classical music on the radio for the most aesthetic experience. But the developers get even more mileage out of the locale by shifting between the four seasons as you progress. The same race can feel quite different if it’s sunny, rainy, snowing, or blossoming. Other changes include even tighter online multiplayer integration with other players’ “Drivatars” and the ability to score your own little cottage home to admire with drone shots and store all your James Bond Aston Martins in a secret garage. Nice shiny cars to go with the nice shiny new custom Xbox controller options.For all it has going for it though, something about Forza Horizon 4, and its predecessors, doesn’t quite work for me personally as well as I keep hoping. The racing itself, while certainly way more accessible than mainline Forza games, still has too much of a foot in the boring realistic sim racing world. I want boosting and ramming other cars into dust. It isn’t wacky enough I want Burnout Paradise. Forza Horizon 4 isn’t Burnout Paradise, but it is pretty great for what it is. For more on Forza Horizon 4 check out our hands-on and our recent stream.Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.
Geek Pick: Shure MV88+ Is An Excellent, On the Go Microphone KitGeek Pick: Amazon Smart Plug Puts Alexa in Your Walls 
Niantic Teases Harry Potter AR Game—Again
Stay on target Niantic’s long-awaited Harry Potter-themed AR game is … still not available.Instead of a release date, the Pokemon Go creators this week offered a sneak peek at the upcoming Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.“For the first time, you’ll soon embark on your own wizarding world adventure together with friends in the real world,” a Monday blog post said.Set in both J.K. Rowling’s fictional universe and our genuine one, the augmented reality romp invites players to help protect the wizarding world from exposure to muggles.“A calamity has befallen the wizarding world, causing artifacts, creatures, people, and even memories to mysteriously appear in the muggle world,” according to the game maker.As a new recruit for the newly established Statute of Secrecy Task Force, you must work with witches and wizards around the globe to solve the mystery of The Calamity and return so-called “Foundables” to their rightful place.Based on a teaser trailer Niantic tweeted in November, it appears players will use their mobile handsets to capture magical creatures running loose in parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, and art galleries.Sneak peak at the upcoming AR game (via Niantic)Hunting magical creatures can take a lot out of you: Don’t forget to replenish your Spell Energy by collecting food and drinks at Inns, hidden among international muggle venues.Also, keep an eye out for ingredients to brew potions, as well as portmanteaus, which unlock to reveal portkeys that whisk you away to iconic wizarding-world locations.“For the first time you’ll be able to step into a full 360-degree advanced AR immersive experience in places like Ollivander’s Wand Shop,” Niantic boasted.Practice makes perfect, though, and you can hone your skills by visiting one of the various Fortresses indicated on the in-app map. The digital garrisons host wizarding challenges—real-time multiplayer battles against dangerous foes like Death Eaters and Dementors.Players can also choose to specialize in different magical professions—from Auror to Magizoologist, so you can bring a unique proficiency to the team, tipping the scales in your favor.“It’s up to you,” Niantic said, “to ready your wand, prepare your potions, brush up your spells, and help prevent The Calamity from exposing the secrets of the wizarding world.”Sign up now to receive email notifications as more information is released. Pre-registration is now available on Google Play for Android owners.Jam City and Portkey Games last year launched Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, a new title that takes players into the acclaimed institution to live and learn as a pupil.More on Geek.com:MIT Student Develops Real-Life Hogwarts Sorting HatSomeone Get This Magical Dog a Hogwarts Acceptance LetterHow I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love ‘Harry Potter’ Again11 ‘Harry Potter’ Characters Who Deserve Their Own Movie Grab Your Wand: ‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ Launches June 21‘Pokemon Go’ Finally Lets You Battle Other Players 
Amazon Will Launch 3236 Satellites to Offer Broadband Internet From Space
Stay on target Amazon is the latest player to join the global broadband internet race: The company aims to place more than 3,000 satellites in low Earth orbit with a new tech-meets-space project, according to recent federal filings.Dubbed Project Kuiper, the effort follows reports on Amazon planning a “big space project” that involves space-based systems and satellites, GeekWire reported. The project, which is expected to take many years to complete, will likely cost billions of dollars and face competition from other companies, including SpaceX, which sent prototypes for its Starlink initiative, a project that aims to provide low-cost broadband internet from low Earth orbit, to space last year.“Project Kuiper is a new initiative to launch a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world,” an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC in a statement.They added, “This is a long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet. We look forward to partnering on this initiative with companies that share this common vision.”The filings for the project included a fleet of 3,236 satellites, which aim to cover areas where roughly 95 percent of people live on the planet, Engadget noted. The satellites will be placed in low Earth orbit, including 1,156 satellites in 391-mile orbits, 1,296 satellites located 379 miles above Earth, and 784 satellites that will be at an altitude of 367 miles.According to UN Broadband Commission data, roughly four billion people worldwide are not connected to the internet, which might change over the next few years if companies, including Amazon, continue to innovate and develop space-friendly solutions to increase broadband internet access across the globe.Amazon has not provided additional comment on Project Kuiper developments.More on Geek.com:Drunk Shoppers Blow $48B Annually-Mostly on Amazon Amazon Lets Prime Members Choose Weekly Delivery Date Here’s Everything Coming to Amazon Prime Video in April 2019 Amazon Employees Join Sept. 20 Global Climate WalkoutGeek Pick: Amazon Smart Plug Puts Alexa in Your Walls 
Dwayne The Rock Johnsons New Training Shoe Is Awesome
Beloved readers, cherished readers, Geek.com faithful, I fear I must confess something to you all, much as it may pain me to do: I am not as strong as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I have tried to be as strong as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and I have failed to be as strong as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This will never stop me from trying to be as strong as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson but for the time being I have failed to live up to the standard he set and I feel that it is only fair of me to fully disclose this truth to you all.However, it warrants noting that over the last year I’ve been working out in the Project Rock 1, a signature training shoe designed by The Rock himself for Under Armour under the Project Rock collaborative banner. And while I cannot say that this shoe has, through magic or science, made me as strong as The Rock (I am not), I can say with absolute certainty that it’s probably the best training shoe I’ve ever used in the gym. ‘Jumanji’ Video Game Seems Pretty MetaWatch These Movies Before ‘Hobbs and Shaw’ Stay on target
So forgive me, but when I heard the Project Rock 2 was on the way late last year, I was a bit skeptical. Why? Why would you try to improve upon perfection? CAN you improve upon perfection?Apparently, you can. Because guys, the Project Rock 2 is awesome.Today Under Armour and The Rock himself have announced the next installment of the Project Rock signature training shoe line, the Project Rock 2 (PR2 from here on out). It looks to be an improvement on the PR1 in every conceivable way. Built for and wear-tested by The Rock during his legendary Iron Paradise workouts nonstop over the last year, the PR2 features a lower heel cut than the PR1 and is the first training shoe to include Under Armour’s signature HOVR tech.(Photo Credit: Under Armour)The shoe is built around an upper made of Dyneema webbing and laces, a material 15 times stronger than steel (which is presumably still not as strong as The Rock).The laces run through a mid-foot lock-in that will keep your feet stable during lifting. The shoe has a heel counter to help keep your feet planted and provide extra support to the real standout feature of the shoe: a HOVR foam sole.HOVR foam is a material utilized by Under Armour in a variety of shoes but most notably in its runners. It’s extra lightweight without sacrificing any of the stability or durability of tougher materials. The HOVR foam is supported on the bottom by tribase tech that keeps your foot planted during exercise without sacrificing flexibility. And it’s all capped off by The Rock’s signature Brahma Bull logo on the heel.(Photo Credit: Under Armour)Last year the premiere colorway of the PR1 sold out in a mere 30 minutes. There’s a good chance for a repeat performance this year, so hit up Under Armour’s site as soon as possible to cop a pair of the premiere red-orange colorway. If you miss your shot, don’t stress it. There are sure to be more colors available in the near future. The PR2 won’t make you as strong as The Rock — that’s only going to come with a whole lot of blood and sweat (as Dwayne says, these you give, respect you earn, etc. etc. etc.). But it’s looking like the next great training shoe to help you put in the work to get there.Watch: ‘The Rock’ Named Highest-Paid Actor of 2019 by ‘Forbes’More on Geek.com:‘The Rock’ Unveils In-Ear Headphones With JBL and Under ArmourBest Nerdy Fitness Gear to Rep Your Fandom at the Gym9 Things Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Should Fight Next
WWEs Renee Young to host VH1 Big Morning Buzz show
Pinterest Ronda Rousey The following was issued on WWE.com.Renee Young hosts VH1’s ‘Big Morning Buzz’Renee Young will head to the new VH1 studio in Times Square, New York City, to host “Big Morning Buzz” on March 4. “Big Morning Buzz” airs on VH1 every weekday morning at 9/8 C and features the most important news in pop culture and entertainment.Hosted live by Nick Lachey, “Big Morning Buzz” covers music, movies, TV and more with commentary from insiders to get your day off to a great start. Follow “Big Morning Buzz” on Twitter @BigMorningBuzz and on Instagram @vh1buzz.Young joined WWE in 2012 and has been a staple of broadcasts ever since. She does color commentary on WWE NXT and “WWE Superstars” in addition to regularly reporting backstage on WWE TV. Follow Young on Twitter @ReneeYoungWWE and Instagram @reneeyoungwwe.Recommended videosPowered by AnyClipRonda Rousey Highlighting WWEs ProblemsVideo Player is loading.Play VideoPauseUnmuteDuration 0:30/Current Time 0:04Loaded: 100.00%0:04Remaining Time -0:26 FullscreenUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Replay the list Seth Rollins Defends WWE On Two Separate Occasions Facebook Now Playing Up Next Live Podcast: Reviewing and discussing WWE Clash of Champions from Charlotte Now Playing Up Next Wrestleview Live #65: Reviewing and discussing WWE Clash of Champions from Charlotte Ronda Rousey Highlighting WWEs Problems Google+ WhatsApp
Now Playing Up Next Joan Jett Set To Perform Ronda Rouseys Entrance At WrestleMania 35 Videos Articles Ronda Rousey Releases Mugshot After Arrest On WWE Raw Now Playing Up Next Adam Martin RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Twitter Clash of Champions Highlights: Luke Harper returns, Rollins/Strowman, Becky against Sasha Now Playing Up Next Bully Ray Calls Out Ring Of Honor Fan On Twitter
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett to perform Ronda Rouseys
Twitter Joan Jett’s New Documentary Ronda Rousey Highlighting WWEs Problems Pinterest Now Playing Up Next WWE issued the following confirming that Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett will her hit song “Bad Reputation” for RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey’s entrance at WrestleMania 35 in two weeks at Metlife Stadium.Rock icon Joan Jett to perform at WrestleManiaSTAMFORD, Conn., March 26, 2019 – WWE today announced that Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett will perform at WrestleMania on Sunday, April 7, in front of a capacity crowd at MetLife Stadium and streaming live on WWE Network around the world. Jett will play her hit song “Bad Reputation” as WWE Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey makes her entrance to the ring to defend her title in a Triple Threat Match against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.“The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Joan Jett, is a music legend and icon for powerful women everywhere,” said Neil Lawi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, WWE Music Group. “Her performance at this year’s WrestleMania promises to be both exhilarating and inspiring, and we are honored to watch her join a distinct list of extraordinary performers who have lit up the WWE stage.”Jett will join the likes of renowned artists such as Motörhead, Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, Kid Rock, Diddy, Machine Gun Kelly, Skylar Grey, Travis Barker, and fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Run-DMC who have performed at WWE’s annual pop-culture extravaganza.Joan Jett is a founding member of the Runaways, a rock band that paved the way for female artists to enter the male-dominated arena of rock music. After five albums, Jett would take her career to even greater heights when she launched Joan Jett & the Blackhearts with hits such as “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” A feminist icon for more than 40 years, Joan Jett took her rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when Joan Jett & the Blackhearts were inducted in 2015.Recommended videosPowered by AnyClipJoan Jett Set To Perform Ronda Rouseys Entrance At WrestleMania 35Video Player is loading.Play VideoPauseUnmuteDuration 0:30/Current Time 0:04Loaded: 100.00%0:05Remaining Time -0:26 FullscreenUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Replay the list Facebook Google+ Joan Jett Set To Perform Ronda Rouseys Entrance At WrestleMania 35 Ronda Rousey Batista talks about AEW not being legitimate competition, tripping during WrestleMania entrance Now Playing Up Next
Now Playing Up Next Adam Martin RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR WhatsApp Ronda Rousey On WWE: I Love This Job, But I Dont Need It Ronda Rousey, Sonya Deville join Total Divas Season 9 cast, will premiere on October 2 Joan Jett Wants Equality For Women In Music Now Playing Up Next Videos Articles Ronda Rousey sustains a gruesome finger injury on the set of “9-1-1”, underwent surgery Now Playing Up Next
Clark County added jobs lowered unemployment rate in August
Unemployment was down in August, as Clark County’s job growth steadily continued, according to the state Employment Security Department’s monthly report.The county added 300 jobs, seasonally adjusted, last month, and unemployment was down to 6.5 percent. In July, the county’s unemployment rate was at 6.8 percent. The unemployment rate in August 2015 was 6.2 percent.“We continue to see strong job growth in the county, and very diversified job growth, meaning it’s pretty much across all industries,” said Scott Bailey, regional economist at the state Employment Security Department. “That’s been the pattern for about a year or so now.”In August, private sector employment grew by 900 jobs, with all major sectors seeing job growth in Clark County except for information services. Leisure and hospitality added the most, with more than 500 jobs in August, and construction was next up with more than 300.Over the last year, construction and mining has added 1,400-plus jobs, professional and business services have added more than 1,600 jobs, financial services has grown by more than 600 jobs.Clark County job growth over this year is around 6,600 jobs, or 4.4 percent, so far. Comparatively, Washington state is at 3 percent, Oregon is at 3.3 percent, the Portland metro area is at 2.8 percent and the United States is at 1.7 percent.
La Center cardrooms continue casino fight
LONGVIEW — The Cowlitz Tribe’s decades-long battle for a reservation may not be over.Opponents to the Cowlitz Tribe’s Ilani Casino Resort have appealed their case to the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the tribe’s right to have a reservation on 156 acres of property near La Center.The Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde and Clark County have dropped out of the case, following the City of Vancouver’s withdrawal earlier this year. That leaves Citizens Against Reservation Shopping, the La Center cardroom owners and three private landowners in the suit.“We have believed in the principle of our issue from the very beginning. I haven’t sensed any waiver at all,” said John Bockmier, spokesman for the La Center cardrooms.Construction of the Cowlitz Tribe’s casino is about 70 percent complete, according to the tribe. The casino resort is expected to generate 1,000 new jobs when it opens next spring near Exit 16.Although Cowlitz Tribe is a relevant party in the case, the suit is actually against the U.S. Department of Interior, which took the land into trust on behalf of the tribe last year. In July, an appeals court sided with a lower court’s 2014 ruling in favor of the federal government.