"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly (Screengrab)

"The Age of A.I." takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of the most transformational technology in the history of humankind. Robert Downey Jr. brings his irreverent enthusiasm and curiosity to the screen as the series takes an immersive look at artificial intelligence and its potential to change the world.

"The Age of A.I." was produced by Vancouver-based Network Entertainment and was filmed in eight countries on six continents. Over 150 Canadians worked on the series in various roles, spanning executive producers to post-production, and two of the stories were based in Canada: one in Vancouver at Sanctuary AI, and the other at Waterloo RoboHub at the University of Waterloo in Ontario.

How is artificial intelligence reshaping our world? 
Can machine learning enhance the human experience? 
Can artificial intelligence help level the playing field for people with disabilities? 
Can the state of the world be saved with an algorithm? 
Will a robot take my job?

These are just a few of the questions explored as "The Age of A.I." examines the technology that will impact our world for years to come. In each episode, viewers will meet the people on the front lines of A.I. – the scientists, innovators, and dreamers who are shaping the future and the real people whose lives may be forever changed as technology races to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges.

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr. - Releases New Episodes Weekly (Screengrab)

The series is produced by Network Entertainment with Team Downey in association with Sonar Entertainment. Sean Foley, Yon Motskin, Emily Ford, Cory Lanier, Tom Lesinski, Paul Gertz, and Derik Murray serve as executive producers alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey. 

Will.i.am is a consulting producer with Evan Moore serving as a co-producer on the series. Susanne Daniels is Global Head of Original Content for YouTube. Nadine Zylstra, Head of Learning for YouTube Originals along with Ian Roth and Laurel Stier on the Learning Development team will oversee the project for the global platform.

"The Age of A.I." - YouTube Originals New Learning Series Hosted By Robert Downey Jr.

"The Age of A.I." joins a growing slate of YouTube Originals focused on learning. Other projects include the platform's monthly book club, "BookTube" featuring prominent authors like Malcolm Gladwell; "Could You Survive the Movies?" hosted by Vsauce3's Jake Roper; "Mind Field: What is the Scariest Thing?" with Vsauce creator Michael Stevens; "Glad You Asked" from Vox Media Studios, and Retro Tech with Marques Brownlee. Upcoming Originals include "Creators for Change with Michelle Obama: Girls' Education" premiering this year.

• Watch The Series On YouTube.com/Learning

About Team Downey:

Team Downey is an entertainment company founded by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey that produces film, television and digital properties. 

A two-time Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, Downey Jr. is perhaps best known for his performance in the title role of the blockbuster franchise "Iron Man." Prior to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he made his mark in Hollywood with his Academy Award-nominated performances in "Chaplin" and "Tropic Thunder," for which he also earned a Golden Globe. 

Susan Downey is a prolific film producer who has collaborated with many of the industry's most renowned talents on a diverse list of films. She produced the psychological drama "The Brave One," the horror thrillers "Gothika," "House of Wax" and "Orphan" and executive produced the post-apocalyptic drama "The Book of Eli," "Iron Man 2" and the hit comedy "Due Date," among others. 

Together, the pair have collaborated on numerous notable projects including the successful action adventure franchise "Sherlock Holmes," which garnered over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, the cult classic "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "The Judge," earning Robert Duvall an Academy Award nomination, among other accolades. 

Team Downey recently produced the family adventure film "Dolittle" for Universal, which was released on January 17, 2020. "Dolittle" features an all-star cast with Downey Jr. in the title role. 

Team Downey is in various stages of development on several other anticipated feature projects including "A Head Full of Ghosts" with Osgood Perkins attached to write and direct and an untitled feature based on Gimlet Media's "Reply All" podcast episode "Man of the People," with Richard Linklater writing and directing. 

On the television side, Team Downey most recently signed a one-year, first-look deal with HBO. Under the new deal, the company will create and develop new projects, further expanding their partnership with the premium cable network as they are currently producing "Perry Mason." The series, which is set to premiere this summer 2020, stars Matthew Rhys in the title role, with episodes directed by Tim Van Patten and Denize Gamze Ergüven, and written by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald. 

Additionally, Team Downey is also prepping the series Sweet Tooth for Warner Bros. Television and YouTube Originals recently premiered the first four episodes of its docuseries "The Age of A.I." The final four episodes of the critically-acclaimed series were released on January 15.

SOURCE: Network Media Group Inc.

Oceana Report: Soft Drink Industry Can Stop Billions Of Plastic Bottles From Polluting The Ocean By Switching To Refillables

Oceana Report: Soft Drink Industry Can Stop Billions Of Plastic Bottles From Polluting The Ocean By Switching To Refillables (jmage via oceana.org)

Oceana, the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, released a report today finding that the beverage industry could decrease marine plastic pollution by 4.5 billion to 7.6 billion bottles each year, a 22% decrease, by increasing the market share of soft drinks and water sold in refillable bottles by just 10% (in place of single-use throwaway PET bottles).

The report, entitled "Just one word: Refillables. How the soft drink industry can reduce marine plastic pollution by billions of bottles each year," also estimates that between 20 billion and 34 billion plastic PET bottles produced and sold by the soft drink or Non-Alcoholic Ready to Drink (NARTD) industry enter the ocean each year.

"Beverage companies are major ocean polluters and are producing billions of plastic bottles every year that end up in the sea essentially forever," said Oceana CEO Andy Sharpless. "They need to take responsibility and make commitments to reduce plastic production and waste."

The report was announced at investor and media briefings held at HSBC USA headquarters in New York. Attendees also heard about HSBC Global Research reports detailing how prominent bottlers in Latin America are leading the trend toward refillables.

"As public awareness of plastic waste in the world's oceans grows, the global beverage industry is grappling with the risk of brand damage and higher regulatory costs from its outsized reliance on disposable plastic bottles. Oceana's report brings much-needed insight into the scale of the environmental problem and an emerging solution in a transition to refillables," said Carlos Laboy, Global Beverage Head and Latin American Food Analyst, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

The report notes that studies have found that refillable bottles have a lower carbon footprint than single-use throwaway plastic bottles, citing recent life cycle analysis studies in Germany and Chile. Dr. Henning Wilts of the Wuppertal Institute writes in the report that "looking at the specific case of refillable PET bottles as compared to single-use bottles, (lifecycle) analyses found that refillables save up to 40% of raw materials and 50% of greenhouse gas emissions."

Recycling rates are declining in the U.S., and only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, Oceana's report notes. In addition, single-use throwaway bottles with recycled content still become pollution in the ocean because the companies don't recover these bottles after selling them. In contrast, 95% to 99% of refillables are returned to beverage companies for re-use.

Studies have found that plastic pollution is dramatically impacting life in the oceans. A recent report found that 90% of all seabird species have ingested plastic, and even zooplankton – the base of the food chain – has been found to be ingesting plastic. Oceana is campaigning around the world to reduce throwaway plastic production and address this problem at its source.

"Just one word: Refillables. How the soft drink industry can reduce marine plastic pollution by billions of bottles each year"

• To access Oceana's full report, please visit oceana.org/Refill.

SOURCE: Oceana

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US: "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge Invites Fans to Be Part of the Longest Howling Video Of All Time

Disney Channel's "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge Invites Fans to Be Part of the Longest Howling Video Of All Time (image via z2awoo.com)

Disney Channel is launching a "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge, an interactive promotion that gives fans the opportunity to be part of the longest howl of all time. "ZOMBIES 2," the highly anticipated sequel to the Disney Channel Original Movie "ZOMBIES," premieres Friday, February 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW.

Beginning today through Sunday, February 2, fans can show off their wild side by entering the "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge and uploading their very own howling video, to potentially be included in a compilation video to be released on National Werewolf Day on Thursday, February 6. All submissions will be entered for a chance to win a "ZOMBIES 2" prize pack full of movie-inspired swag from the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie.

In addition, fans can also participate in the "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge by visiting a special "ZOMBIES 2" Surprise Lockers event in three locations across the country to record and upload their video in-person. 

The "ZOMBIES 2" Surprise Lockers events are scheduled for Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2 in the following cities: San Diego, California (Fashion Valley Mall), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (King of Prussia), and Louisville, Kentucky (Jurassic Quest at the Kentucky Exposition Center).

"ZOMBIES 2" is a music- and dance-filled story that picks up as cheerleader Addison and zombie football player Zed are readying for Seabrook High's Prawn, the school's super-sized prom. However, the arrival of a new group of outsiders – mysterious werewolves – threatens to shake up Seabrook's newfound peace and causes a rift in Zed and Addison's budding romance.

• For more information on the "ZOMBIES 2" AWOO Challenge, visit z2awoo.com.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Many Will Enter, 25 Will Win. 
Enter sweepstakes by 2/2/20 at 11:59pm ET. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C. See Official Rules here z2awoo.com/official-rules for full details including eligibility, prize descriptions & limitations. Void where prohibited.

SOURCE: Disney

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Ruckify Launches T-Shirt Fundraiser To Help Support The Australian Wildfire Relief Efforts

The 'Support Australia' t-shirts from Ruckify have a list of organisations you can help during and after the bushfire crisis (image via Ruckify.com)

Ruckify, the global peer-to-peer marketplace for all things rentals, has launched a t-shirt fundraising campaign to support those affected by the devastating Australian bushfires.

The shirts, which will be available on a dedicated RuckifyStore, list a number of organisations people can donate to both during and after the fire crisis that has devastated communities and destroyed large tracts of wilderness in recent months.

All proceeds will be donated to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) for firefighting equipment and training as Australia's bushfire season continues, while anyone who purchases a shirt will receive $5 off a Ruckify rental of their choice.

The idea and design for the shirts came from Ruckify staff, after a company-wide conversation about feelings of helplessness as news of the disaster flowed in.

Ruckify founder and CEO Steve Cody said staff had helped communities inundated near the company's headquarters during the Ottawa River floods in April 2019, and wanted to find a way to lend support to others in need on the other side of the world.

"Since Ruckify's founding two years ago, community, environmentalism, and sustainability have been at the heart of our values," Mr Cody said. "These fires have dealt a blow to the Australian people, and the environment, that will be felt for years to come.

These disasters affect us all, and will continue to do so as the effects of climate change become more apparent. Australians help North Americans every year with funding and resources during wildfire season, and we want to contribute in any way we can."

The fundraising campaign complements Ruckify's ongoing TreeProject, the company's commitment to plant a tree for every sign-up, transaction, and review at ruckify.com.

"It's time for all of us to step up and acknowledge the status quo will no longer work in the face of climate change and the resulting natural disasters," Mr Cody said.

Through both our shirt fundraising campaign and TreeProject campaign, we want to be part of the solution."

The front and back of the Ruckify 'Support Australia' shirts (CNW Group/Ruckify)

• Those interested in the $30 shirts can order them at the dedicated RuckifyStore, where they will be shipped for free.

About Ruckify

Ruckify is the world's largest online peer-to-peer rental marketplace, empowering its members to embrace the sharing economy and leave unnecessary purchases behind. Designed with both people and businesses in mind, anyone can post their items and spaces on Ruckify for people in their community to rent. 

Founded in Ottawa, Canada in 2018 on a foundation of community building, environmentalism, education, and freedom, Ruckify is dedicated to changing the world and curtailing the spread of unsustainable consumerism. 

The platform has also launched TreeProject, a commitment from Ruckify to plant a tree for every transaction made on the app. 

The Ruckify Tree Project (image via Ruckify.com)

SOURCE: Ruckify

The Witcher (Music From The Netflix Original Series) by Composers Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli Available Now

The Witcher (Music from the Netflix Original Series) available everywhere now

Milan Records today releases The Witcher (Music From The Netflix Original Series) by composer and award-winning pianist Sonya Belousova and critically-acclaimed composer Giona Ostinelli. 

Available everywhere now, the album features music written by the duo for Netflix's latest fantasy drama series. Also included on the soundtrack is the now-viral hit "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher," a medieval ballad that has garnered unanimous critical acclaim from NPR, CNN, Vulture, BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Esquire and more, in addition to inspiring countless covers and remixes from fans. 

Of the soundtrack, composers Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli say, "The best part of scoring The Witcher is the constant stream of unlimited creative opportunities this unique and vast universe provides. We wrote and produced songs, folk tunes, dances, and score, collaborated with virtuoso soloists and phenomenal artists, recorded unique historical instruments, many of which were crafted specifically for The Witcher, as well as personally performed and recorded over 60 instruments in order to create over 8 hours of an exciting original soundtrack."

 Video: "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher"

• The Witcher tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, as he journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

The Witcher (Music From The Netflix Original Series) Tracklisting:

1. Geralt of Rivia
2. Toss A Coin To Your Witcher (feat. Joey Batey)*
3. Happy Childhoods Make For Dull Company (feat. Rodion Belousov)
4. The Time of Axe And Sword Is Now (feat. Declan de Barra & Lindsay Deutsch)
5. They're Alive (feat. Lindsay Deutsch & Burak Besir)
6. Tomorrow I'll Leave Blaviken For Good
7. Her Sweet Kiss (feat. Joey Batey)***
8. It's An Ultimatum
9. Round of Applause (feat. Rodion Belousov)
10. Marilka That's My Name
11. I'm Helping The Idiot (feat. Arngeir Hauksson)
12. The Knight Who Was Taught To Save Dragons (feat. Rodion Belousov)
13. Ragamuffin
14. The Last Rose of Cintra (feat. Declan de Barra)**
15. Late Wee Pups Don't Get To Bark (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
16. You Will Rule This Land Someday
17. The Fishmonger's Daughter (feat. Joey Batey)**
18. Blaviken Inn (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
19. Man In Black
20. The Great Cleansing (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
21. The Law of Surprise
22. Battle of Marnadal
23. Pretty Ballads Hide Bastard Truths (feat. Rodion Belousov)
24. Giltine The Artist
25. Everytime You Leave
26. Rewriting History (feat. Rodion Belousov)
27. The End's Beginning (feat. Declan de Barra)
28. Gold Dragons Are The Rarest (feat. Rodion Belousov)
29. Bonfire (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
30. Children Are Our Favourite
31. Do You Actually Have What It Takes
32. Point Me To Temeria
33. Djinni Djinn Djinn
34. Here's Your Destiny
35. Two Vows Here Tonight
36. Bread Breasts And Beer (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
37. Would You Honor Me With A Dance
38. Four Marks (feat. Rodion Belousov)
39. The Pensive Dragon Inn (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
40. A Gift For The Princess
41. You're In Brokilon Forest
42. Today Isn't Your Day Is It
43. Lovely Rendez-vous à la Montagne
44. Blame Destiny
45. The White Flame Has Brought Us Together
46. He's One of The Clean Ones (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
47. You Lost Your Chance To Be Beautiful
48. Yennefer of Vengerberg
49. Shouldn't You Know When Someone Is Pretending (feat. Lindsay Deutsch)
50. You'll Have To Fight It Until Dawn
51. I'm The One With The Wishes
52. Chaos Is All Around Us
53. The Curse of The Black Sun
54. Battle of Soden
55. The Song of The White Wolf (feat. Declan de Barra)**

*Lyrics by Jenny Klein
**Lyrics by Declan de Barra
***Lyrics by Haily Hall

SOURCE: Sony Music Masterworks

National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam (Het Scheepvaartmuseum) Makes Spectacular Art Acquisition in the UK [Video Included]

The Fleets drawn up for Battle Design Willem van de Velde The Elder

The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam (Het Scheepvaartmuseum) has purchased two rare, royally commissioned tapestries designed by Willem van de Velde the Elder (1611-1693) in England. The tapestries mark the significance of shared Anglo-Dutch heritage. The acquisition is the largest in the history of the museum. 

The artworks arrived at the museum earlier this week and will be on public display from 2 October 2020.

"The Van de Velde Tapestries remind us of our shared cultural heritage. The acquisition is not only welcomed, but highly appropriate and a symbol of the strong and continuing relationship between our two museums." – Sue Prichard, Senior Curator of Arts, Royal Museums Greenwich

Wide support from art funds and British museums

The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam considered purchasing just one tapestry. An additional contribution from a Dutch art fund and close consultation with colleagues from several museums in the UK, enabled the museum to keep both tapestries together. The biggest acquisition ever was made possible with the support of several Dutch sponsors.

The Burning of the Royal James (Later in the Day), woven after a design by Willem van de Velde the Elder

World-class artworks

The tapestries are part of a series of six which depict various scenes from the Battle of Solebay in 1672. A first set was commissioned by King Charles II shortly after the battle. It is still in the Royal Collections. One tapestry is on permanent loan to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. 

Thirteen years later Charles's brother, King James II, commissioned a second set depicting the battle which was broken up for sale in 1914. Four tapestries from this set are currently in American museum collections, but not on public display. 

The two tapestries acquired by the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, were the last ones that will ever appear on the market. They have been restored with great care in the UK.

Willem van de Velde the Elder (image via Wikipedia)

About Willem Van de Velde the Elder

(via Het Scheepvaartmuseum)
Willem van de Velde the Elder (1611-1693) is widely regarded as one of the most eminent Dutch maritime artists of the seventeenth century. 

His meticulous and elaborate pen-paintings were very popular in high society and affluent circles all over Europe. Van de Velde and his son Willem, also a celebrated maritime artist, settled in England in the winter of 1672-1673 to work at the royal court on the invitation of King Charles II. 

There, in addition to various pen-paintings and a few oil paintings, Van de Velde the Elder created the designs for a series of imposing tapestries that were produced at the Mortlake Tapestry Works near London. 

The tapestries highlight the skill and versatile talent of Van de Velde the Elder. 

The Video:

Van de Velde exhibition in Amsterdam

The tapestries will go on display for the first time during a large Van de Velde exhibition in the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam from 2 October 2020 to 5 April 2021. Given its size and scope, this retrospective exhibition will be a world first. 

After the exhibition the tapestries will remain on public display in the museum permanently.

• Click here for more information about the retrospective exhibition

SOURCE: Het Scheepvaartmuseum

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" to Open in China [Video Included]

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" to Open in China

Cityneon Holdings has announced that Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition will be making its first-ever appearance in China, starting with Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, on the first day of Chinese New Year on 25 January 2020.

Set to be launched at the iconic Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, special guests from the media and tourism industry were invited to an exclusive preview into Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition on 20 January 2020.

This preview event was also attended by strategic partners that made this exhibition possible, including Mr. Ron Tan, Executive Chairman and Group CEO of Cityneon Holdings, Mr. Michael Silver, Universal Parks & Resorts' President for Global Business Development, , Mr. Liu Xiaobin, Vice President of Wanda Film Group and Executive CEO of Wanda Film, Ms. Zhou Haiyan, Deputy Governor of Chenghua District and many other distinguished guests. The official signing ceremony was held earlier this month (5 January 2020) at the Wanda Cinemas in Chengdu Mid-Town.

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" - Opening Ceremony held on 20th January 2020 in Chengdu

This exhibition spans a total area of approximately 30,000 square feet and is poised to bring the ground-breaking film franchise Jurassic World to life. Visitors will feel as if they have entered the films as they walk through the world-famous Jurassic World gates and explore the experience through an interactive journey. Guests will come face-to-face with a Velociraptor, step behind the glass into The Hammond Creation Lab; and be able to imagine what it would have been like to walk among these breathtaking animals as they visit a majestic and family-friendly Brachiosaurus, and get a rare up-close look at the most vicious dinosaur of them all, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" (screengrab)

The Jurassic World franchise has been entertaining audiences around the world with powerful stories and characters for more than 25 years -- from film to TV to video games and toys to rides at Universal theme parks. In fact, Universal Beijing Resort is scheduled to open in 2021 as Universal's newest theme park destination and will feature seven highly themed and immersive lands -- including Jurassic World Isla Nublar. Guests of all ages will be able to explore Isla Nublar, an island of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs roam the Earth again.

Speaking at the event, Universal Parks & Resorts' President of Global Business Development Mr. Michael Silver said, "I am indeed excited to see Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition opening here in Chengdu. We strongly believe that this exhibition's first foray into China is only the beginning, and we are confident that Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition will be presented in many other Chinese markets in the future. We are delighted that our licensee Cityneon Group, together with Wanda Films, are presenting such a world-class exhibition that is such a credit to the iconic Jurassic World franchise, and we are pleased that the many Jurassic World fans in China will have the opportunity to experience this wonderful exhibition."

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" (screengrab)

Adding to that, Cityneon's Executive Chairman and Group CEO Mr. Ron Tan said, "We are honoured and thrilled to have forged strong and strategic partnerships with Universal and Wanda to bring Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition to Chengdu, our first stop in China. We are highly encouraged by the committed ticket sales of 300,000 tickets even prior to the start of the exhibition and deeply hope that this exhibition can bring the same excitement to the Chinese audiences here as well."

Reiterating his commitment to create high-quality and unforgettable experiences, Mr. Tan added, "We will continue to leverage on our expertise, credentials and relationships with existing and new partners to deliver more unique exhibitions and compelling experiences in markets with high growth potential."

Wanda Film Group and Wanda Film's CEO Mr. Zeng Maojun, said, "We are very impressed with Cityneon's licensed portfolio of leading global IPs and its iconic exhibitions that captivate audiences around the world. It is our great pleasure to collaborate with them to bring this exclusive exhibition to China. We are confident that the audiences will be wowed by the magnificence and interactive experiences, leaving them with unforgettable unique memories like never before, especially during this festive Chinese New Year."

The Video:

SOURCE: Cityneon

Doritos Brings The Chill To Super Bowl LIV In A 'Cool Ranch' Western Showdown Headlined By Lil Nas X, Sam Elliott & Billy Ray Cyrus [Teaser Videos Included]

Doritos Brings The Chill To Super Bowl LIV In A 'Cool Ranch' Western Showdown Headlined By Lil Nas X, Sam Elliott & Billy Ray Cyrus

When a snack as iconic as Doritos Cool Ranch gets the Super Bowl advertising treatment for the first time ever, it only makes sense to enlist the help of a few entertainment icons to take the spot to another level of cool. 

Following years of Super Bowl ad success with music superstars, Doritos is bringing the country's favorite country-meets-rap musical duo — Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus — together for another head-turning collaboration alongside critically acclaimed movie legend, Sam Elliott. The campaign fits directly into Doritos' newly revamped mantra and tagline, Another Level.

Fans were able to get a first glimpse of the commercial in a teaser video Doritos dropped last week that brought them straight to the scene of a country Western town named "The Cool Ranch." Known from a wide array of work — including many Western films — Sam Elliott recited the lyrics to "Old Town Road," leaving fans guessing what comes next. 

Today, Doritos is dropping a new teaser titled "Bassquake" on its social channels that helps fans start to put the pieces together. We see Lil Nas X riding his stallion into town on a saddle customized to blast tunes from its speakers, so fans know that something big is coming their way to celebrate the launch of the new Doritos Cool Ranch. What will go down in the wild wild west? Time will only tell.

"Fans have come to expect Doritos to show up big with our Super Bowl advertising, and since we're making Doritos Cool Ranch even cooler this year, we knew we had to enlist the help of a few of the coolest and most popular voices of the past year," said Rachel Ferdinando, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Frito-Lay North America. "Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus are as iconic of a duo as it gets to help us introduce the new power punch to one of our most beloved flavors — Cool Ranch. Pair them with legendary actor Sam Elliott and you get pure country ranch magic in a commercial that's bound to get our fans amped on game day."

Doritos Brings The Chill To Super Bowl LIV In A 'Cool Ranch' Western Showdown Headlined By Lil Nas X, Sam Elliott & Billy Ray Cyrus

A Decorated Super Bowl History

Doritos has become a recognized staple of Super Bowl advertising with some of the most memorable commercials over the past decade and a half. 

More recently, the brand has tapped the world's biggest names in music and entertainment to star in its TV spots, bringing fans never-before-seen music collaborations that have helped catapult Doritos to the top of most Super Bowl ad rankings — from its #Spitfire lip-sync rap battle campaign in Super Bowl LII with MTN DEW, to last year's #NowItsHot campaign that saw iconic music hits remixed with a Flamin' Hot twist. And of course, the Crash the Super Bowl era saw countless consumer-created Doritos ads rank No. 1 on numerous polls.

Doritos Brings The Chill To Super Bowl LIV In A 'Cool Ranch' Western Showdown Headlined By Lil Nas X, Sam Elliott & Billy Ray Cyrus

About Lil Nas X & Old Town Road

In the span of just one year, 20-year-old Lil Nas X has gone from an aspiring artist crashing with siblings in Atlanta to one of the biggest stars in music today. Born Montero Lamar Hill, Lil Nas X created his genre-shattering song "Old Town Road" in December 2018, bringing to life a song that would forever change the music industry and touch lives across the globe. 

Fueled by a remix with Billy Ray Cyrus and many viral moments in culture throughout the year, the song rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2019 and held the spot for 19 consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running song to stay top the chart in its history. 

"Old Town Road" has been recognized with a CMA Award, an American Music Award, a Teen Choice Award, 2 BET Hip-Hop Awards, 2 MTV Video Music Awards, the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for Youth, and an Apple Music Award. The Diamond-certified track has accumulated 3.1 Billion global streams and over 800 Million video views to date, while also landing on various 'Best Songs of the Year' lists from Billboard, PAPER, TIME, LA Times, Complex, Vice and more.

In June 2019, he also released his debut EP called 7. The eclectic collection featured 8 new tracks that ranged from mainstream rap and pop styles to alternative rock. The song "Rodeo" included a cameo from Cardi B, while second single "Panini" went on to hit #1 at Rhythm radio and received a remix from DaBaby. To cap his banner year, Lil Nas X was nominated for six Grammy Awards including Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Album of the Year, and is currently at work on his debut album via Columbia Records.

SOURCE: Frito-Lay

Bennett Wales & The Relief Releases New Politically Charged Protest Single 'Hey Otto' - Song Grieves Torture and Death of Otto Warmbier by Brutal North Korean Regime [Video Included]

Bennett Wales & The Relief - "Hey Otto" (screengrab)

Bennett Wales & The Relief (BW&TR) announced the release of the first of 10 singles slated for this year. "Hey Otto" is a visceral rock-and-roll lament for the detainment, torture and death of Otto Warmbier, amidst a widely publicized 2016 North Korean media spectacle and cover up. Echoing the best efforts of time-honored protest troubadours like Dylan or Marley, the new single harbingers the release of BW&TR's sophomore collection, "Album II." 

"Otto's story is one that we just had to tell," said BW&TR. "Like most of the country at the time, we were stunned by his treatment at the hands of the vicious, dictatorial regime in North Korea – all for the relatively tiny crime of a simple poster vandalism. He was brutalized by North Korean officials, then sent home in a vegetative coma from which he later died. And to make matters worse for his family, the POTUS sided with the official North Korean cover story. It's the kind of gut-wrenching tale you just can't make up, and exactly the sort of story that needs to be told right now about what's still going on in the world."

"Hey Otto" is one of the featured singles from BW&TR's much anticipated new record title: "Album II." Other songs on the upcoming album include "I Got Bills" and "Wolfstep." The first talks about trying to keep one's head above water in a world that is continually growing more expensive; while "Wolfstep" is a melodic musical howl marking the need to remain steadfastly and aggressively dedicated to one's goals.

The Video:

• BW&TR is currently planning an intensive 2020 tour in Virginia and the greater East Coast, with specific date announcements forthcoming. For news on the upcoming tour, album, new singles and other info, follow Bennett Wales & The Relief on social media and Spotify: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Spotify.

About Bennett Wales & The Release:

BW&TR is the unique rock-and-roll creation of a group of five musicians who came together after gaining prominence playing in and around the Tidewater region of Virginia. BW&TR features the musical talents of Mike Fischetti (bass), Caleb Little (keys), Brock Bittner (guitar), Drew Orton (drums) and Bennett Wales (vocals/guitar). Their debut album, "Flood Without Water," personifies their heart-thumping, kick-down-the-door musical approach.

Bennett Wales & The Relief

SOURCE: Bennett Wales & The Relief

The Net-Zero Challenge: Fast-Forward to Decisive Climate Action

The Net-Zero Challenge: Fast-Forward to Decisive Climate Action (image via World Economic Forum)

The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), recently released a report that examines the current state of climate action by companies and governments and provides insights about the actions that corporations, governments, and civil society can take now, both collectively and individually, to limit global warming. 

The report, which will be presented at the WEF annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, is titled, The Net Zero Challenge, in recognition of the need to move to net-zero emissions globally by 2050.

The year 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, which committed world leaders to limiting global warming to well below 2°C. However, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise at a rate of 1.5% per annum over the past decade. A reduction of >5% per annum is now needed through 2030 to limit the worst impacts of global warming and net-zero carbon emissions must be reached by 2050.

Business and Investors Should Accelerate Action—in Their Own Interest

All 20-plus CEOs and 14 climate experts who were interviewed for the report highlighted the need to accelerate climate action—both as a moral imperative and as a business opportunity. The analysis, based on the responses of nearly 7,000 companies to the CDP climate questionnaire, shows that not enough is being done by companies today, with only a small minority disclosing their emissions and even fewer setting any kind of emission reduction target.

The Net Zero Challenge examines the ways in which climate action can be seen as a source of competitive advantage for companies—as a means of reducing costs by increasing efficiency, fulfilling the needs of increasingly climate-conscious customers, and attracting the best possible talent. It emphasizes that businesses should be accelerating efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of their operations and that of their supply chains, to manage their climate-related investment risks, and to innovate to refocus their business models for growth in a decarbonized world.

The report shows how investors, too, need to play a pivotal role in triggering and facilitating climate action, as they have an inherent interest to "de-risk" the terminal value of their investments by pushing for more transparency and disclosure and by supporting longer-term corporate decarbonization plans.

Where financial or structural barriers prevent businesses from moving forward, ecosystem initiatives can enable collaboration among industry peers or along value chains to provide risk-sharing mechanisms and help accelerate the speed and scale of change.

"A Paris-compatible pathway implies a significant, sometimes existential, transformation for many companies. Innovation is needed, and many businesses can look for growth in new markets for lower-carbon products and services," said Cornelius Pieper, a BCG partner and coleader of the firm's Center for Climate Action.

A Call for Unilateral Government Action and Individual Leadership

Progress among policymakers has been limited to date. While 121 countries now have an ambition to be carbon-neutral by 2050, they together account for less than 25% of global emissions. None is among the top five emitters, and very few have enacted policies that are robust enough to produce the desired effects.

The report calls for accelerated unilateral policy action from governments to set the context needed for companies to decarbonize, such as by implementing carbon pricing and other sector-specific regulations and incentives.

"The good news is that governments can act unilaterally to reduce emissions, as many countries can benefit economically from carbon abatement investments. What is needed is an ambitious policy context that includes a meaningful carbon price, supported by incentives and other measures," said Patrick Herhold, a BCG partner and coleader of the Center for Climate Action.

The report also stresses that educated voters and consumers are a crucial enabler of the low-carbon transition - better information is needed across all channels about what it will take to achieve net-zero emissions, and communications need to focus on solutions and the benefits of change.

We each have a responsibility to deliver a safer world as leaders in business and in policy, and as parents.

"Climate action is still too often perceived as a cost or a tradeoff with other priorities," said Michel Fredeau, a BCG senior partner and leader of the firm's work in climate and the environment. "It should be viewed as an opportunity for businesses, countries, and individuals to create an advantage in building a better, more sustainable world."

The Net Zero Challenge concludes with actions that companies, governments, investors, and individuals can take to start reducing emissions in 2020.

The Net-Zero Challenge: Fast-Forward to Decisive Climate Action 

• A copy of the report can be downloaded here..

SOURCE: Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Space Mission Names Embody Chinese Romanticism [Video Included]

Space Mission Names Embody Chinese Romanticism (screengrab)

The following is a news report by China Mosaic on the background stories of China's space mission names:

"Over the past few months, China's aerospace industry has witnessed many landmark events.

Apart from celebrating these scientific achievements and milestones, the public has also developed a growing interest in the missions' unique names, of which many are derived from China's myths and legends.

Here are some examples. China's spacecrafts are called Shenzhou. This literally means "heavenly ship" in Chinese, and is also a homonym for the Chinese words "divine land," which is a term used in literary works to refer to the country. China's moon exploration project and its lunar probe, which made the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon, are both named after a Chinese goddess of the moon, Chang'e. According to ancient legends, the goddess lived in solitude on the moon with a rabbit, known as Yutu. In 2013, the Chang'e-3 lunar probe landed on the moon and was carried around by a lunar rover called Yutu. The two names perfectly match the legend of the moon fairy and her pet.

Space Mission Names Embody Chinese Romanticism (screengrab)

In another example, the relay satellite for the Chang'e-4 moon exploration mission is called Queqiao, or "magpie bridge." The magpie bridge, in a Chinese folk tale, was formed by millions of magpies, so that a separated couple could meet each other despite the Milky Way. Likewise, the Queqiao relay satellite serves as a "space-bridge" for communication between the moon and the earth.

Space Mission Names Embody Chinese Romanticism (screengrab)

China's dark matter probe satellite, Wukong got its name through public solicitation. It was launched in 2015, and was named after the Monkey King (Wukong) from the classical Chinese novel "Journey to the West." This is because people hoped the probe could find dark matter in the vast reaches of space just like Wukong's "eyes of fire" from which nothing escapes.

Chinese people's aspiration to the universe dated back to ancient times. Besides typical Chinese poetry demonstrating their curiosity for the great and beyond, some even tried to explore. Lu Ban, a great inventor living in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC-256 BC), made a flying bamboo bird, and Wan Hu, a legendary official in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), tried to shoot himself into space with a crude rocket.

On the one hand, Chinese people spared no effort to explore the laws of planetary motions to develop their lunar calendar. On the other hand, the ancient Chinese were also perplexed by the mysteries of space so they created many myths and legends, such as "Kuafu Chases the Sun," to explain phenomena that they could not explain. These traditional stories have become the source of inspiration for Chinese scientists in the naming of major space missions.

The famous spacecrafts and rovers built by the United States include the Challenger, the Opportunity and the Spirit, whose names reflect a positive and enterprising spirit. This is quite unlike how the Chinese name their spacecrafts, which reflects the Chinese people's sense of romance and awe for space as well as their efforts to pass down traditional culture and their ancestors' spirit of scientific discovery. Nevertheless, all these names, Chinese or foreign, showcase the dreams of humankind and our collective pursuit to discover the secrets of space.

We mentioned in a previous episode that when Apollo 11 prepared to land on the moon, the control center on earth told the astronauts onboard to "watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit," which refers to Chang'e and her rabbit Yutu. With the stellar progress of China's aerospace industry, more and more Chinese stories embodying Chinese romanticism will be shown to the world."

The Video:

SOURCE: China.org.cn