Meghan Trainor Releases New Original Song For Playmobil: The Movie "Run Like The River"

Meghan Trainor Releases New Original Song For Playmobil: The Movie "Run Like The River"

Sony Music today releases Meghan Trainor's "Run Like the River," a new track written by the pop songstress for the forthcoming Playmobil: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Available everywhere now,

"Run Like The River" is the lead offering from the soundtrack, which features score music by Grammy Award-winning composer Heitor Pereira (Despicable Me, The Angry Birds Movie, Smallfoot) and will be available everywhere Friday, August 2 – preorder now. 

In addition to the track, Meghan joins the cast of the live-action/animated adventure comedy, lending her voice alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jim Gaffigan, Gabriel Bateman, Kenan Thompson and Adam Lambert.

• Directed by Lino DiSalvo and based on the best-selling children's play sets, Playmobil: The Movie will make its theatrical debut this year.

Regarding her inspirational song for the movie, Meghan Trainor says she wanted the track to have a universal message for audiences around the world. As she recalls, "I played it for the director when I first met him, and I said, 'You should have songs like this in your movie.' Then the next day they called and were like, 'We want that song!' It was just a magical moment."

"The name's Dasher, Rex Dasher..." - Playmobil: The Movie (image via movie.playmobil.com)

About Playmobil: The Movie

When her younger brother Charlie suddenly disappears into the magical, animated Playmobil universe, Marla must embark on the adventure of her life to bring him home again. 

On her incredible journey through new exciting worlds, Marla meets very different, weird and heroic companions, among them the crazy foodtruck owner Del, the intrepid and charming secret agent Rex Dasher, a faithful, lovable robot, as funny as good fairy and many more. 

In the course of their spectacular adventure, Marla and Charlie realize that you can do anything in life if you believe in yourself!

Directed by Lino DiSalvo in his directorial debut and written by Blaise Hemingway, Greg Erb & Jason Oremland, Playmobil: The Movie is produced by On Animation Studios.

The Trailer: 

About Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor first made history in 2014 with her diamond-certified smash single "All About That Bass." 

The Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist stands out as "one of only five female artists to achieve a diamond certification from the RIAA"—an honor bestowed upon only 15 other singles to date. 

Thus far, she has garnered a Grammy Award and achieved eight multi-platinum singles and two platinum albums, sold out three world tours, penned multi-platinum hits for peers across pop and country, and received countless industry awards and nominations. 

Expanding her influence, she starred on FOX's hit series The Four: Battle for Stardom for two seasons. 

Following 2018 anthems "No Excuses" and "Let You Be Right," she celebrated Valentine's Day 2019 with the love-themed six-song The Love Train EP and to kick off the summer, she collaborated with dance music titan, Kaskade, for their song "With You," paving the way for more surprises to come.

Meghan Trainor (image via Billboard - photo credit: Dennis Leupold)

SOURCE: Sony Music Masterworks

'The Angry Birds Movie 2' Finds Their Hatchlings

'The Angry Birds Movie 2'

The adorable Hatchlings of Sony Pictures Animation's and Rovio's The Angry Birds Movie 2 are being voiced by Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), JoJo Siwa, Genesis Tennon, Alma Varsano, Faith Urban and Sunday Urban, Sony Pictures announced today. 

The Hatchlings are the baby birds that have stolen everyone's hearts and have no intention of giving them back, and can be seen in action in a sneak peek clip from the film launching today.

They join an all-star cast that includes Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Eugenio Derbez, Danny McBride, Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, Zach Woods, Dove Cameron, Lil Rel Howery, Nicki Minaj and Beck Bennett.

In the film, out in theaters August 14, 2019, three Hatchlings voiced by Prince, Tennon and Varsano (Zoe, Vivi and Sam Sam) embark on their own epic story, and are now up to their own tricks! 

• Their role-playing-game-gone-wrong launches them on an adorable adventure that will charm and delight the world. No hatchling is too small to dream big!

About 'The Angry Birds Movie 2'

The flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level in The Angry Birds Movie 2! 

When a new threat emerges that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger, Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad), Bomb (Danny McBride), and Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage) recruit Chuck's sister Silver (Rachel Bloom) and team up with pigs Leonard (Bill Hader), his assistant Courtney (Awkwafina), and techpig Garry (Sterling K. Brown) to forge an unsteady truce and form an unlikely superteam to save their homes.

The film is directed by Thurop Van Orman with a screenplay by Peter Ackerman and Eyel Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart. It is produced by John Cohen, and stars Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Eugenio Derbez, Danny McBride, Peter Dinklage, Zach Woods, Pete Davidson, Dove Cameron, Lil Rel Howery, Beck Bennett, Nicki Minaj, Brooklynn Prince, Maya Rudolph, Tony Hale, JoJo Siwa, David Dobrik, Gaten Matarazzo, and Colleen Ballinger.

SOURCE: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Related Video:

Beer, Food... Sex Ed?

Reuben's staff celebrate a winning game at SERVE 2018 (CNW Group/Head and Hands)

Head & Hands' Sense Project has been supplementing Quebec's insufficient sex education program since 2005. Despite the government's 2017 decision to bring sex education back into the curriculum, it has stagnated in the pilot phase for more than two years. 

The Sense Project employs an approach that are trans- and queer-positive, casual, and non-judgmental. Delivered by a team of trained peer facilitators 18-25, the unique combination creates an environment of relatability where teens ask what they want, and get the answers they deserve.

In the last year, the Sense Project made a shift to working more with the Francophone school system, with a 253% increase in the number of safer sex workshops offered in French. 

• The Sense Project also debuted two new workshop series for teens surrounding different sexualities and trans experiences.

Every year, the annual SERVE Beach Volleyball Tournament brings together staff from bars and restaurants from around Montreal raise money for the Sense Project, supporting another year of intervention-based sex education. Every year, the bars raise upwards of $15,000 during a fun-filled day of beer, balls, barbeque, and sex ed facts.

Those who aren't playing beach volleyball are welcome to bask in the sun at Jeanne Mance Park too! You don't have to raise money to contribute: all you have to do is buy a hot dog and you'll be contributing to your community. 

• Kids are welcome too - facepainting and childcare are available!

"Youth already have a lot of knowledge. They just need to validate that knowledge, and build on it in an environment that feels safe". - Charlie Morin, Sense Project Coordinator

Who: The staff of 11 Montreal bars and restaurants and community members who want to support sex education for youth

Why: To support sex education for Montreal youth through a fun day of beach volleyball, games, face painting, and more!

When: Sunday, July 28th, 2019: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Where: Association Montreal Beach - Griffintown, on the canal

SOURCE: Head and Hands

Related Video:

Terminator Stars Spanning the Iconic Sci-Fi Series Reunite at Silicon Valley Comic Con for Spotlight Reunion Panel and More

Terminator Reunion at Silicon Valley Comic Con 2019 at the San Jose Convention Center

Silicon Valley Comic Con, Steve Wozniak's pop culture, tech and science expo taking place August 16-18, 2019 at the San Jose Convention Center today announced four additional cast members from the Terminator franchise will join as featured guests at the popular event including Michael Biehn (Terminator), Jenette Goldstein and Danny Cooksey (Terminator 2) and Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

• The original cyborg assassin and 'Terminator,' Arnold Schwarzenegger, will be on hand Sunday, August 18 for photo/autograph opportunities alongside former castmates Robert Patrick and Edward Furlong, who revealed recently he'll be joining the cast of the highly-anticipated film Terminator: Dark Fate.

Additionally, the following Terminator alumni will assemble on-stage for an epic discussion in a special Terminator Franchise Reunion Panel on Sunday, August 18 at 3:30pm at the San Jose Convention Center. Talent from across the series including from the original Terminator, Michael Biehn, from Terminator 2, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Jenette Goldstein, and Danny Cooksey, and from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Kristanna Loken will talk about their experiences and recollections of one of the classic science fiction series of all time with moderator Clare Kramer (NPR and Google News Correspondent, and actor).

"First, Arnold said he'd be back…and he kept that promise. Now to have alumni spanning the Terminator franchise join the line-up at SVCC, is incredible news for sci-fi fans and personally exciting for me as it's one of my favorite series," said Trip Hunter, Chairman of SVCC. "Hearing the former castmates talk about machines and the past and future of the human race goes perfectly with SVCC, a show that blends entertainment and technology."

Photograph/autograph opportunities are available now for purchase at SVCCTicketing and include the following Terminator alumni:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger (Sunday)
• Robert Patrick (Saturday/Sunday)
• Edward Furlong (Saturday/Sunday)
• Michael Biehn (Friday/Saturday/Sunday)
• Kristanna Loken (Saturday/Sunday)
• Jenette Goldstein (Saturday/Sunday)
• Danny Cooksey (Saturday/Sunday)

The star-studded line-up at SVCC and previously announced featured guests include Jason Momoa (Aquaman, Game of Thrones), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool, Gotham, Firefly), Ben McKenzie (Gotham, Batman: Year One, The OC), Chris Hadfield (astronaut and first Canadian commander of the International Space Station), Adam Savage (MythBusters, Savage Builds, Tested.com), Andy Weir (author, "The Martian"), Will Wright (legendary game designer and creator of The Sims, SimCity and Spore). Julie Benz (Dexter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk, Hercules), and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers among others.

• SVCC will feature programming from celebrity spotlights, keynotes and fireside chats with famed astronauts and tech luminaries, panels covering immortality, comic book writing, cosplay, AI, VR, 3D printing, space exploration and colonization and so much more. Powered by VUDU, a Walmart company, SVCC special exhibits and activities include photograph and autograph opportunities with select guests, the Kids Zone hosted by AstroReality, the SVCC Science Fair, The Geek Fashion Show, Cosplay Contest, 500+ vendors, an outdoor beer garden with music and show floor activations. Additional attractions include those from PlayStation, AstroReality, Geico, Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda, among others.

SOURCE: Silicon Valley Comic Con

Kate Magdalena's Streets of Any Town Highlights America's Homeless Crisis [Music Video Included]

"On the corner of the streets of any town, there's a man who life forgot; he's going down." - Kate Magdalena

San Francisco recording artist and singer-songwriter Kate Magdalena wrote Streets of Any Town in response to a conversation with a homeless man on Nashville's honky-tonk street, Broadway. The song is this man's story, but it is also the larger story of men and women across America living on the streets. 

The song asks the question: is it really okay in the USA to allow people to live on the street? 

• The song also packs a religious punch with its refrain "the least of you", recalling Jesus' words from Matthew 25:45 -- 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

The song is the fourth track released from Kate's album A Larger Dance coming in October, and available for pre-order next month. The songs have been recorded and produced by Grammy-nominated-producer Billy Smiley (Johnny Cash, Whiteheart, Clay Aiken, and the Newsboys) and feature some of Nashville's finest musicians with Fred Eltringham (The Wallflowers and Sheryl Crow), Byron House (Robert Plant and the Band of Joy), Blair Masters (Garth Brooks) and Brennan Smiley(The Technicolors).

Streets of Any Town will be playing on local country radio stations across America, promoted by Grassroots Promotion, out of Nashville. Kate hopes that the song, and its accompanying music video may be of use to any individual or agency working with issues of homelessness. 

• The song has just been included with BWH Music Group's new compilation album "Keepin' It Country,"

The Music Video:

• Click here to listen to the song
• Click here to order the song 

About Kate Magdalena: 

For Kate, singing is a way to bring what is inside, outside. It is to make the invisible audible. Kate has an ability to move her listeners with her voice, to bring pleasure and joy. Kate was raised in an era in which people looked to the arts and music to inspire social activism. Like Dylan's great songs, Kate's music addresses some of the pressing issues of our own day.

SOURCE: Kate Magdalena Music LLC

The People's Moon to be Unveiled at Times Square & London Piccadilly This Saturday, July 20, the Day and Hour They Landed

Apollo 50th 1969-2019

This Saturday 20 July, The Aldrin Family Foundation will host a free family celebration with The People's Moon transforming New York's Times Square into Tranquillity base celebrating the 50th Anniversary of when humans first walked on the Moon taking over numerous screens. 

• The People's Moon will be shown simultaneously at London Piccadilly Lights, and in an exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where Apollo 11 launched in 1969.

In an enormous room in the New York Marriott Marquis the public will be able to 'Walk on the Moon', a 180 meter square boot print by UK artist Helen Marshall, and explore the educational Giant Moon Map and Giant Mars Map by the Aldrin Family Foundation. 

Printed and installed by UK printers Prolific Graphics, the photo mosaic is comprised of thousands of photographs submitted by public.

• The public can also participate from their armchairs and explore the online Moon photo mosaic made up of everybody's images.

QUOTES

"During this 50th Anniversary, we want to bring people together to share this moment - to look up at the Moon and have hope again. We all share that same Moon and it reminds us we're humans together on the same planet," says Christina Korp of the Aldrin Family Foundation.

"The People's Moon is an opportunity for the public to join all of the world's citizens to become a part of a living legacy time capsule," explained artist Helen Marshall, UK.

• An interactive legacy exhibit is also at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, co-created by artist Helen Marshall, Moondog Animation Studios and DesignShop.
• Historical sequences provided by Discovery Channel, Blue Aurora Media, and Stephen Slater. Screens and Space kindly donated by Times Square Alliance, Clear Channel, NASDAQ, Reuters, Champs, Landsec, Ocean Outdoor, Nickelodeon and Viacom.
• Thousands of photos were submitted by children from the New York Department of Education and AR patches from Astro Reality are featured in the giant floor mosaic.
• The House of Lords UK debated the impact of the Moon landings, led by Lord Andrew Mawson OBE, young people participated at the St Pauls Way Trust Summer Science School.
• Jannicke Mikkelsen, VR cinematographer showcased her Lunar Window at the Apollo 50th Gala.
• The People's Moon also screens at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore's Marina Bay, co-produced by Blue Aurora Media.

The People's Moon is co-created by British artist Helen Marshall of the People's Picture, and Christina Korp of the Aldrin Family Foundation USA

SOURCE: The People’s Moon

Let's Stop The Amazon Apocalypse! [Petition]

Let's Stop The Amazon Apocalypse! (image via Avaaz.org)

Dear friends,

It's horrifying -- in the past year, an area the size of 500,000 soccer fields has been destroyed in the Amazon! Nearly half a BILLION trees torn down and gone... forever.

This is how they do it: planes drop gasoline to start massive forest fires, armed militia swarm into protected areas, and indigenous leaders who stand up to them are murdered. 

• And Brazil's far-right President Bolsonaro is making it even worse by stripping the Amazon of its remaining protections!

Right now, Amazon champions in Brazil’s Congress are considering sweeping new protections for the precious rainforest. And indigenous groups are calling for international support to ramp up pressure to defend their home.

Let’s build a massive call of citizens from around the world to protect the forest -- when it's huge, allies will deliver our voices to Congress in each key moment to silence the chainsaws and stop this Amazon apocalypse!

>> Click to save the Amazon <<

Bolsonaro has praised forest killers, blocked money for key conservation programs and threatened to evict entire indigenous communities from their lands. And if we don’t stop it, it’s not just the forest we’ll lose. It could be everything. The Amazon breathes in and stores massive amounts of carbon -- and without it, there’s no chance of stopping the climate catastrophe.

A coalition of Brazilian MPs are about to introduce proposals that could bring illegal deforestation in Brazil to ZERO, and key indigenous leaders are calling on the world to help them defend the forest. We can help them!

The Amazon needs us right now. Add your name, and share widely to end the Amazon apocalypse, before it’s too late. Once enough of us sign, we'll throw everything we have to help their struggle -- demonstrations of huge public support, polling, hard-hitting ads, and pressure on key governments around the world to break their silence:

>> Click to save the Amazon <<

Just years ago, when Brazil wanted to put a huge chunk of the Amazon the size of Denmark up for sale, 1.8 million Avaazers worldwide stood up for it and WE WON! Now the threat is even bigger... they're putting the Amazon on death row! So we need to fight harder, smarter and stronger than ever for the Amazon treasure!

With hope and determination,

Loup Dargent

On behalf of Diego, Bert, Laura, Andrew, Mel, Nana, Luis and the rest of the Avaaz team

Sources: 

• 'Football pitch' of Amazon forest lost every minute (BBC)
• Brazil: huge rise in Amazon destruction under Bolsonaro, figures show (The Guardian)
• Donors of Brazilian Amazon Fund should get their way (Rio Times)
• Jair Bolsonaro launches an assault on Amazon rainforest protections (The Guardian)
• Brazil's Bolsonaro gives farm ministry power to decide on indigenous land (Telegraph)

The Beatles Songs Did Not Inspire The Manson Family Murders; In "Manson Exposed," Author Ivor Davis Explains Why The Prosecution's Motive Was Wrong

"Manson Exposed: A Reporter's 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder"

Investigative reporter and award-winning author Ivor Davis reveals the truth—one that the Los Angeles District Attorney chose to ignore in favor of the more sensational one: Beatles songs like Helter Skelter, Piggies, Blackbird, and Revolution were NOT the reason behind the murders.

Davis is one of the nation's foremost experts on the topic of the Manson Murders. He co-authored the first book about the murders half a century ago, Five To DIe, which the Los Angeles prosecutors used as a blueprint for the trial. 

Now his eye-witness personal story about the murders and the key players—the killers and the showbiz heavyweights who were sucked into this crime—is laid out in his new book Manson Exposed: A Reporter's 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder, on sale July 24, 2019.

Davis, who was based in Los Angeles as a foreign correspondent for the London Daily Express, reveals the deep background about Manson and his family, the fear and gossip that terrified Hollywood at the time. Manson Exposed is a memoir/true-crime thriller filled with Davis' published and unpublished interviews over the years, many that infuriated The Family. 

Always in the thick of it, he received deaths threats, ( "a knife down your throat" from Lyn "Squeaky" Fromme who later was arrested for trying to assassinate President Gerald Ford) after Davis visited the Spahn Movie Ranch—and covered the trial daily.

• Covering the case from Day One then reported daily as an eyewitness to the trials over two years, Davis' conclusions are drawn from half a century of reporting and exclusive interviews about the notorious case.

Ivor Davis - author of "Manson Exposed: A Reporter's 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder"

Here are four new key revelations from "Manson Exposed: A Reporter's 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder"

1. The real reason Charles Manson ordered his drug-addled followers to murder Sharon Tateand six others. The Beatles are NOT to blame for Manson's murderous rampage despite the district attorney's astonishing "Helter Skelter" theory.
2. Why grieving movie director Roman Polanski went rogue to track down his wife's killers.
3. What other stars didn't arrive for a party planned the night of the murders at the Cielo Drive home. Who they were, their personal stories, and how fate saved them.
4. Davis separates truth from the fiction behind Manson's "Death List" and just why Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elizabeth Taylor were terrified when they were told they had all been marked for death.
5. What the Beatles really thought about "Crazy Charlie" Manson using lyrics from their bestselling White Album to predict an apocalyptic and bloody race war.

Written with the efficiency of a reporter and a master storyteller's eye, Manson Exposed brings new life and unknown details to a spellbinding story by someone who was there on the inside, every step of the way.

SOURCE: Ivor Davis

First Ever Interview at a Tech Company? These Four Tips Will Help You Expect the Unexpected

In a tech company... (Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash)

If you’ve never interviewed at a tech company before, expect something quite different to your usual corporate interview. How is a tech-interview different? Hard to say exactly, but don't be thrown off balance when your interviewer lobs a slice of pizza at you while riding past on a Segway towards the beanbags you’ll be expected to sit on.

While ‘prepare for the unexpected’ is ultimately what preparing for a tech interview boils down to, these tips will help you control the things you can.

Know Your Stuff

Loads of people apply for jobs at tech companies because they want to get a foot in the door at any tech company in the hopes of working for Google or Facebook one day. Tech companies don’t want to hire those people. They want to hire people who want to work for them specifically. Knowing the company’s values inside out is a great way to demonstrate that you’re here for what they do. Come ready to show that you’ve done your homework to understand what makes this company unique, and that you are fully on-board with the company’s vision.

Arbitrary Questions

Don’t be surprised if your interviewer pauses their deep-dive in your CV to look up and ask you what T.V shows you like. No, T.V has nothing to do with your work history or the role you’re applying for. So, no: it doesn’t matter what answer you give. What matters is that you say something that gives your interviewer a glimpse of your personality. Surprise, surprise: the best answer is usually the truth! Tech companies are also infamous askers of weird and kind of enigmatic questions, so don’t be caught off guard if you’re asked what you think of garden gnomes…

Don’t Lie

Tech company interviews have broken the form of the interview in many ways, but one stands out above the rest because it can be very jarring. In a normal corporate interview, there is an unspoken rule that even if an interview suspects you don’t have all the experience you claim to have, they’re not going to show you up. You probably won’t get that job, but you’ll be non-the-wiser as to why you never heard back.

In an interview at a tech company, your interviewer might look at your CV and unexpectedly test you on your knowledge. This is because tech companies want to hire the best people for the job. They really want to know what you can and can’t do. Don’t fluff your CV. Be honest when quizzed if your knowledge isn’t fully up to scratch. That’s not to say that you should go into the interview announcing that you don’t know how to open rar files on Mac, or come clean about any other tech know-how you don’t have, but when you get into territory you’re unsure about, just admit that your knowledge is lacking, and show willing to learn.

Top view photo of 3 men in front of laptop (Photo by Visual Tag Mx from Pexels)

Casual Dress Code

Most tech companies don’t require their staff to wear formal business attire, so it’s unwise to dress too formally for your interview. A good rule of thumb is to dress more formally than your average tech worker on a regular day at work, but more casually than you’d dress for a corporate interview. When in doubt, dress like you’re going out for a nice brunch.

Whether you’re interviewing for a customer service or product role, interviewing at a tech company is a whole new kettle of fish. These tips will help you approach the big day with confidence.

How to Have Fun at the Weekend without Overspending

Group of people having fun together under the sun (image via Pexels)

Having fun at the weekend doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it’s now cheaper than ever for you to have a great time without spending much at all! If you want to find out more about that then take a look below.

Go to the Local Park

Local parks are usually brimming with things to do. It doesn’t matter whether you attend an event or whether you simply go for a walk with your dog because it’s a cheap way for you to enjoy the sunshine, and you never know who you’re going to bump into. If you want to make a family day out of it then consider taking a frisbee with you, or even a football and play around a little. You’re never too old to enjoy the smaller things in life!

Watch the Sunset

Go out for a walk and find a great spot to sit down and watch the sunset. Words can’t say how beautiful this can be, and you’d be surprised at what stunning views are in your local area alone. If you aren’t quite sure where the best spots are, then download a map of the area and pick out some spots that have higher ground. Your next adventure could be just around the corner and it’s a great way for you to spend some time with your loved ones. You can even take a picnic too!

Adventure under the sunset (image via Pexels)

Board Games

Board games are the best way for you to have fun at the weekend. They don’t cost anything and it’s a great way for you to create a bit of friendly competition. If you don’t have any board games at home then go to your local thrift store. They often have them for a very affordable price and you’d be surprised at how many options there are.

Throw a Party

Throwing a party doesn’t have to be super expensive. In fact, it’s more than possible for you to do it on a very limited budget. Consider having a bonfire in the yard and get everyone to bring something. You’ll be able to talk about the good old times around the fire and you’ll also be able to roast some marshmallows too. If you want to liven up the party even more then download some party tracks and even play some games too so that everyone can join in.

Have a Debate

Debates can be great fun, especially with friends. Check out this guide on arguing with idiots to try and get the edge over your friends. If you are stuck for things to talk about, consider discussing world issues or even your political views. You’d be surprised at how much you can find out about your friends by doing this and it is also a great way for you to share your thoughts on the topic matter. This can be made even more fun by appointing one of your friends as the host so that everyone has equal chance to speak without being talked over.

Moctu and the Mammoth People Novel Brings First Contact Between Early Modern Humans and Neanderthals to Vivid Life in Ice Age Thriller

Moctu and the Mammoth People - cover

Award-winning geologist and journalist Neil Bockoven got bitten by the novelist bug while researching what killed off Neanderthals so quickly after they encountered us - Early Modern Humans – in Ice Age Europe. The mystery inspired Bockoven to bring this prehistoric world to life in his powerful and exciting novel Moctu and the Mammoth People, available now in bookstores and on Amazon from Waldorf Publishing.

Set in Paleolithic Italy 45,000 years ago, the compelling coming-of-age story follows a Cro-Magnon youth who fights for leadership of his tribe and the right to mate Nuri, a fiercely independent woman, who is being courted by Moctu's rival, the shrewd and cunning Jabil. Moctu also battles mammoths, wolves and saber-tooth cats as well as his captors, the "Pale Ones," a fearsome group of seemingly cannibalistic Neanderthals known as the People Eaters.

Bockoven took two years to review all the current genetic and archeological research about these primitive people and this attention to detail is reflected in a story line that captures not only Moctu's experiences, but the nature of the physical and tribal world in which he operates. Solid science drives this story and - uniquely for a novel - the research is annotated in an addendum to the book that includes color images.

"During my initial research, I hadn't planned to write a novel, but I realized that there was an incredible story to be told about these early humans – their interaction with a different human species and their struggles for survival in a violent, primitive world," says Bockoven. "I hope people can travel back in time to feel what our ancestors experienced - from having babies in the wild to hunting mammoths. I want readers to identify deeply with these Early Modern Humans; they are, after all, our ancestors. We are family."

Early reviews proclaim:

"Fans of Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear . . . will relish Moctu and the Mammoth People . . . an intriguing, exciting and moving saga."
DIANE DONOVAN, Editor of California Bookwatch

"Neil Bockoven takes a scientific base and adds inspiration and imagination to create an epic tale of struggle and survival, of passion, betrayal and vengeance. [The book] highlights our ancestors' lives and loves, their fears and feelings - and, yes, their very humanity."
KIERAN MULVANEY, Author of The Great White Bear, At the Ends of the Earth and The Whaling Season

"Moctu and the Mammoth People is revolutionary . . . unique, fascinating and deeply-sourced." 
MARK MCDONALD, Award-Winning New York Times Foreign Correspondent, Author of the Novel Off the X

• To help young people understand their origins, Bockoven also has published When We Met Neanderthals, an illustrated children's book.

Dr. Neil Bockoven, author of Moctu and the Mammoth People, holds a saber-toothed cat skull...

About the Author

Neil Thomas Bockoven is an award-winning PhD geologist and journalist with 35 years of experience in minerals exploration. 

He has been featured in Geological Society of America Bulletin, Virginia Journal of Science and other scientific publications. 

Bockoven is a member of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Archeological Conservancy and is an Impact Member of the Center for Study of the First Americans.

SOURCE: Dr. Neil Bockoven

World Animal Protection Celebrates JPMorgan Chase Decision to Cancel Advertising Featuring Elephant Performers

Tourists bathing elephants. (Credit: World Animal Protection / Nick Axelrod)

World Animal Protection, a global animal welfare organization with offices in 14 countries, is praising the decision by JPMorgan Chase to suspend its advertising campaign featuring direct contact with captive elephants. 

The "Plan Yourself Free" campaign for Chase Private Client featured a couple's direct contact with elephants on a volunteer vacation. In the ad, the couple are seen washing an elephant by hand, a harmful, but common practice at some captive elephant venues.

The elephants are also seen walking in a line holding the tail of the elephant in front, which is not a typical behavior of mature elephants in the wild, but of elephants who have been tortured into that behavior.

• Following discussions with World Animal Protection, JPMorgan Chase will cease the ads in July 2019.

"JPMorgan Chase made a responsible decision to remove these ads which sent a dangerous message that direct contact with wildlife is acceptable," said World Animal Protection Executive Director Alesia Soltanpanah. "Elephants are trained using harsh and cruel methods to perform unnatural behaviors and interact directly with people in the manner portrayed in this ad. When people see elephants used in live shows, offered for rides, used for selfie props, or washing interactions, these elephants have been cruelly abused and forced to perform these actions."

"We thank World Animal Protection's leadership for reaching out to us," said Jeff Pilarcik, a managing director in marketing at Chase. "While we took great care in the filming, we learned more about the other side of elephant tourism and have ended the ad campaign."

World Animal Protection's, Taken for a Ride report found that up to 550,000 wild animals are exploited in the tourism industry worldwide. Three out of four venues studied found conservation and welfare issues including damage physically and psychologically to elephants. Tourist demand for direct interaction with elephants such as riding and feeding leads to a lifetime of abuse. Elephant washing as shown in the ad forces elephants to remain in water longer than they would naturally and reinforces demand for elephants in captivity. The constant presence of strangers requires elephants to be controlled by keepers through harsh obedience training from a young age that includes severe restraining, pain and discomfort.

Elephants forced into direct contact with people are anything but free. Taken from their natural environments and exploited for entertainment and profits, captive elephants tamed for entertainment never truly experience a life free from suffering and cruelty. Close interaction with captive elephants also regularly leads to injuries and fatalities of keepers and sometimes of visitors.

Through its Wildlife. Not Entertainers campaign, World Animal Protection engages with travel companies around the world, revealing the hidden cruelty behind the scenes at wild animal entertainment venues, to help bring about a world where animals live free from suffering.

To date, more than 220 travel companies around the world including Education First, Thomas Cook, TripAdvisor, World Expeditions, and Extraordinary Journeys have ended sales and promotion of elephant rides and shows by signing World Animal Protection's elephant-friendly pledge or making a commitment to wildlife-friendly travel policies.

SOURCE: World Animal Protection