thesun--2019-07-20--Apollo 11 moon landing Nasa reveals stunning NEW photos from lunar surface to celebrate missions

Apollo 11 moon landing – Nasa reveals stunning NEW photos from lunar surface to celebrate mission’s 50th anniversary

NASA has released previously unseen panorama images of Apollo landing sites, highlighting a landscape once described by Buzz Aldrin as "magnificent desolation".  The images were created to celebrate today's 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.  The panoramas serve as a bold reminder of an alien world that just 12 humans have ever set foot on.  All of the images were taken by Apollo astronauts, and handed over to Nasa imagery specialist Warren Harold.  These images were then "stitched together" to create stunning panoramas that show the barren lunar landscape.  The accuracy of the images was then verified by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison 'Jack' Schmitt, who remains the only geologist to walk on the Moon.  Describing one image, Schmitt said: "The Valley of Taurus-Littrow on the Moon presents a view that is one of the more spectacular natural scenes in the Solar System.  "The massif walls of the valley are brilliantly illuminated by the Sun, rise higher than those of the Grand Canyon, and soar to heights over 4,800 feet on the north and 7,000 feet on the south.  "At the same time, the summits are set against a blacker than black sky – a contrast beyond the experience of visitors from Earth.  "And, over the South Massif wall of the valley, one can always see home: the cloud-swirled blue Earth, only 250,000 miles away."  You can find the full album of images here.  The new images were created to honour the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.  US astronauts blasted off from Earth towards the Moon on July 16, 1965.  And on July 20, space heroes Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface.  Some of the panorama images in this article have been cropped to fit the page.  The Apollo 11 astronauts also had to cope with no toilet, and resorted to using bags taped to their bums.  Sadly, some people still thing the whole event we faked – we bust the most popular Apollo 11 Moon landing myths.  And here's why some people still think the Moon landings were faked 50 years later – and the man who started the ‘hoax’ theory.  Do you think you'll ever get the opportunity to travel to the Moon? Let us know in the comments!  We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.


thesun--2019-07-20--Inside the nerve-shredding final moments before the Apollo 11 moon landing as we celebrate 50th anni

Inside the nerve-shredding final moments before the Apollo 11 moon landing as we celebrate 50th anniversary

THE first Moon walk is scheduled to take place ten hours after the Eagle lands.  After enduring 600 nerve-shredding, death-defying seconds descending to the surface, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin prepare the landing module for take-off in case of trouble.  They are under orders to then get some rest.  But Armstrong refuses to sleep. His mind is whirring.  Among other things, he is trying to work out what to say when he becomes the first human to set foot on another world.  “No one seems to have noticed that this is the first properly global media event,” says author Andrew Smith.  “In a future the astronauts can’t yet see, there will be marketeers and spin doctors to help with this sort of thing. In July 1969, Neil Armstrong was on his own.”  Looking out on to a terrain that seems more inviting than hostile, Apollo 11’s commander knows what he says has to be something about “a step”.  People from all over the world have been writing to him with suggestions, with the Bible and Shakespeare the most popular sources of inspiration.  From his PPK — personal preference kit — Buzz Aldrin pulls a small chalice, wafer, sealed plastic container containing communion wine and card with a passage from the Bible.  He pours a small amount of the wine into the chalice and allows it to settle in the Moon’s gravity, one-sixth the strength of Earth’s.  He silently reads the words: “I am the vine, you are the branches.”  Then he says over the radio: “I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way.”  Armstrong sits quietly holding his own PPK. It contains some of his wife’s and his mother’s jewellery and a piece of the propeller from the Wright Flyer, the first aeroplane successfully flown by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903.  The astronauts are not totally sure where they are on the Moon.  Peering through the windows of the lunar module — which they called the LM, pronounced “lem” — Armstrong tries to find an identifiable feature amid mile on mile of dust and rocks.  He finds none and tells Mission Control: “The guys who said we wouldn’t know where we were won today.”  As command module pilot Michael Collins — orbiting 60 miles above the surface — and banks of controllers at Houston try to work out Eagle’s position, Armstrong decides to go for a walk . . . five hours earlier than planned.    Before helping his commander to gently back out of the Eagle’s tunnel on his hands and knees, Aldrin quips: “Are you ready to go down and get some Moon rocks?”  The world is waiting to witness the landing.  At the top of the steps, Armstrong pulls a D-ring and a stowage tray opens like a drawbridge.  On it is a camera that has never worked in training. But here on the Moon, it immediately begins transmitting.  The black and white TV pictures are upside down. Nasa engineers fix the problem so 600million people on Earth can follow every moment.  Eagle’s legs were meant to have compressed on landing but contact had been so gentle that the ladder is three feet short of the surface.  Armstrong has to drop on to the metal footplate below.  Still tethered to the ladder in case the Moon’s surface sucks him in like quicksand, he says: “OK, I’m going to step off the LM now.”  Carefully, he lifts his boot over the lip of the footpad covered in what looks like gold foil and puts his foot on the Moon, leaving an imprint that is still there today.  Then he utters one of the most memorable sentences of all time: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Walter Cronkite, the legendary American TV anchor, sheds tears live on air as he proclaims: “Boy, look at those pictures! Neil Armstrong, a 38-year-old American, standing on the surface of the Moon.”  Before stepping out of the Eagle, Aldrin lowers a camera for Armstrong to take 70mm still pictures.  But while Columbia’s commander is snapping away, Houston nags him to collect “contingency samples” from the Moon’s surface in case of an emergency take-off.  At just after 4.10am UK time, Aldrin leaves the capsule, part-closing the hatch and joking: “Being careful not to lock it on my way out.”  At home in Houston, Aldrin’s wife Joan — sitting next to Michael Collins’ partner Pat — leans forward to the TV and blows kisses to her husband.  Next the astronauts unveil a plaque attached to one of the Eagle’s legs, which will be left on the Moon when the men blast off a few hours later.    With a fifth of the world’s population tuning in, Armstrong reads the words: “Here, men from the planet Earth first set foot on the Moon. We came in peace for all mankind.”  Their next job is to plant the Stars and Stripes on the Moon, something they had never rehearsed in training.  Pushing the pole into the surface is harder than anyone imagined and they manage to force it only a few inches into the ground.  Held out on wire, the flag appears to flutter in the airless atmosphere. Armstrong takes a photo of Aldrin saluting it.  The only person unable see the ceremony is Michael Collins in Columbia, which no one had thought to fit with a TV.  “How’s it going?” he asks. Houston tells him that the US flag is up. Collins replies: “Beautiful, just beautiful.” Shortly after, another voice bursts on to the airwaves.  “Hello Neil and Buzz, I’m talking to you by telephone from the Oval Office at the White House . . . for one priceless moment, in the history of Man, all the people on this Earth are truly one.”  While Armstrong had chosen his famous line in a few snatched moments, America’s best speech writers had spent hours on President Richard Nixon’s words.  He continues: “One in their pride in what you have done. And one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth.”  Unknown to the men on the Moon, Nixon also has in his pocket a speech his writers had prepared in case the mission went disastrously wrong.  It reads: “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the Moon to rest there in peace.  “These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope of their recovery . . . ”  Making sure Nixon would never have to read out that letter was Collins’ main pre-occupation as he orbited 60 miles above the surface in Columbia, travelling at 3,700 miles an hour.  Although he had rehearsed flying home on his own, Collins spent many of the 21.5 hours Armstrong and Aldrin were on the Moon going over in his mind how to drop Columbia to just 50,000ft to pick them up in an emergency.  For now, the two astronauts concentrated on making the most of their remaining two hours on the Moon, taking more photos and collecting rocks.  The protective layer on the visor that shields the astronaut’s eyes from the direct light of the sun glows vivid gold in the pictures.  Although in reality they were as black as coalmen from powdery Moon dust, Aldrin’s suit gleamed white against the lunar surface.  Remarkably, Buzz has taken no photos of Armstrong on the Moon, which Nasa chiefs later describe as “unacceptable”.  All the pictures of Armstrong are taken by a camera on a six-foot pole the pair had managed to stake into the ground.  It is now nearly 6am in Britain and after two hours the Moon walk is over.  When Aldrin reaches the top of the ladder he throws down a pouch containing a patch from the Apollo 1 mission in which three astronauts died, a silicon disc etched with microscopic goodwill messages from 73 nations, a gold badge in the shape of an olive branch, and medals given to Nasa by the widows of two Soviet cosmonauts.  Vladimir Komarov had been killed returning to Earth in 1967 and Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit in space, died in a plane crash in 1968.  One-sixth gravity allows Armstrong to leap six feet on to the third rung of the ladder as they prepare to return.  To lighten Eagle for lift-off, the men throw out empty food packages, a spare Hasselblad camera, their boots and backpacks.  President Nixon declares a bank holiday in the US but in Britain viewers who have been up all night begin arriving at work.  Aboard the Eagle, the astronauts are about to settle down to sleep when Aldrin notices a circuit-breaker switch that is meant to send power to the engine for lift-off is broken.  They report the problem to Houston and then bed down to try to sleep in freezing temperatures.  Just after 6.30pm UK time, Ronald Evans at Mission Control announces: “You’re cleared for take-off.”  Aboard the Eagle, Armstrong and Aldrin, who have been on the Moon for just over 21 hours, are concerned Houston has not come up with a solution to the problem of the broken circuit-breaker.  In desperation, Aldrin pushes a felt-tip pen with a chrome body in the hole to complete the broken circuit. But if the ascent engine fails to fire they are doomed.  Aldrin counts down: “nine, eight, seven, six, five . . . proceed.”    After a heart-beat sized pause, Eagle’s ascent engine fires, generating just 3,500lb of thrust — but it is enough for lift-off. The felt pen has worked.  Explosive bolts release the ascent stage section from the landing gear, leaving the legs on the surface of the Moon as the Eagle takes off.  Through the window, Aldrin watches the American flag fall over.  Down on Earth, Joan Aldrin sinks to the floor, hiding tears with her hands. The other astronauts’ families also cry with relief.  Just under four hours later, Collins opens the hatch and is about to kiss Aldrin when he thinks better of it and shakes his hand. Both astronauts are still covered in Moon dust.  Collins says later: “I couldn’t have made them more welcome unless I’d had a fireplace.”  Three days later, the heroes from the Moon are winched aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.  And during three weeks in quarantine, Apollo 11’s crew watch video tapes of the Moon mania happening on Earth.  Aldrin turns to Armstrong and says: “Neil, we missed the whole thing.”


thesun--2019-11-18--Westlife vow to crack America with new music as they celebrate 20th anniversary of debut album

THIS month marks 20 years since Westlife's self- titled debut album sparked their incredible career as one of Ireland’s biggest musical exports.  But after almost a decade without a record, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Markus Feehily have pulled off an unlikely comeback with their new album Spectrum, which is now outselling the rest of the top ten combined.  Following its release on Friday, it shifted a mammoth 50,000 copies in its first three days on sale and this week is on course to be their first No1 in 12 years.  And with their biggest UK stadium tour to date scheduled for next year, they now have their sights set on breaking the US too.  Joining me at Bizarre HQ in London yesterday to talk about the reaction to their new music, Shane said: “It has been quality. And all the stuff now, like getting to play Wembley Stadium for the first time, that’s serious bucket-list stuff for us.  “When we play it next August it’s going to be packed. It’s going to be one of those career- defining moments. Then we will be like, what’s the next goal?  “I think for us, it’s to do it at that level everywhere. I think America is definitely somewhere we want to go and it’s something that we have talked about a lot recently.  “It’s something that we would love to achieve as a band. Until we actually put on a concert in New York, that will be another milestone moment for us. And I think it’s possible.”  Last year the lads told me how they had also been working on a documentary about their return to music. But that has been put on hold following BROS’s horrifying 2018 film After The Screaming Stops, which detailed many of the Goss brothers’ rows, and put the Westlife lads off the idea.  Mark said: “I think we would still like for more people to see what goes on behind the scenes. But I think it would have to be done right. We couldn’t just hand any director a backstage pass and go, ‘Do your best,’ because we could be misrepresented or whatever.”  Kian added: “I enjoyed watching the Bros documentary for all of the wrong reasons. I would hate that documentary to be about us.”  Nicky continued: “I’ve had arguments with the lads and vice versa and we’ve gone on stage and hugged each other and the fans have known no different. Then we’ve walked out and not spoken for another week. But you come around to it.”  But that doesn’t mean they are keen to have their arguments played out on camera for everyone to see. Mark added: “That stuff in the Bros documentary goes on in every band and you’re lying if you say it doesn’t.  “But you just don’t necessarily put it on camera. We’re more traditional in that sense. We genuinely get on very well but of course there are times when not everyone sees everything exactly the same. But we’re more traditional and keep all of that off the stage.”  There should be no need to worry about any screaming matches this time around though.  Kian said: “The gospel truth is, the only time we ever argued, it was never personal things like dislike for each other, but it was through the decision-making process. We actually haven’t had an argument since we got back together.”  And long may it stay that way.  THE last time I was this excited was when my local pub extended its opening hours. Paul McCartney has confirmed he will headline Glastonbury next June.  The festival’s Twitter account yesterday announced The Beatles legend will be performing on the Pyramid Stage for its 50th anniversary Saturday evening slot.  Ahead of the official confirmation, Sir Paul tweeted a picture of Philip Glass, Emma Stone and Chuck Berry — to create a clue for Glastonbury by combining their surnames. Clever.  He later said: “Hey Glasto – excited to be part of your anniversary celebrations. See ya next summer!”  Organiser Emily Eavis added: “IT’S REAL!! So excited.. Having Paul McCartney coming back to headline the Pyramid next year is an absolute dream come true.  “There really was no one that we wanted more for the 50th anniversary.”  I can’t think of anything better than belting out Hey Jude in that field.    THE band have revealed they have an unlikely hobby while on the road – late-night wrestling. Recalling what went down after the shows on this summer’s reunion tour, Mark said: “There were one or two crazy nights.  “Sometimes we would end up getting literally locked into one of our hotel suites and we ended up, not destroying it or anything like that, but there could be wrestling matches.  “It’s a very friendly, gentlemanly wrestling – we aren’t pulling the eyes out of each other’s heads or anything like that. Nobody gets hurt.  “There might be a scrape or two. It’s not a vicious wrestling, it’s like a clean wrestling match.”   But when I asked if Westlife wrestling matches could be something they do on the side, he added: “No, it definitely won’t be.”  Their nights on tour across Asia were the wildest though, as they insisted on being up all night to stay in the Irish time zone.  Shane said: “We got to have lots of down time and we were going for dinners and for a few drinks, playing pool until 5am in Indonesia.  “We got to have a lot of fun together as lads again and get to know each other again.”    KIAN, who was named King Of The Jungle in 2013, has explained why stars are always more than eager to tuck into the dodgy food served up in the Bushtucker Trials.  He said: “You’re absolutely starving in there all the time. So it is no wonder you eat whatever comes in front of you, you’re so hungry. Kangaroo testicle is like, ‘happy days!’ It’s a bit of food. I just remember the crunch and the pop.”  After watching this year’s launch show Kian knows what it takes to win and is tipping footie pundit Ian Wright to take the crown.  Kian said: “If you’re not yourself, you’re caught out. It’s a simple as that. People who go in and try and be like, ‘Oh I’m going to do this for the camera,’ they can’t keep that up, especially when you’re starved, it’s a psychological challenge.”    LADY GAGA’s love life is looking more and more like a case of always the bridesmaid, never the bride. The Bad Romance singer was exactly that at her best friend Sarah Tanno’s wedding in Mexico at the weekend.  She posed in a pink dress with matching hair while showing off the flowers like she’d just caught them off the bride.  Unfortunately for her, a wedding doesn’t look likely any time soon after she split from recent boyfriend Dan Horton who she started dating six months after she and fiancé Christian Carino went their separate ways in February.  Surely there was an eligible bachelor at the do who could’ve swept Gaga off her feet. • GOT a story? RING The Sun 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk


thetelegraph--2019-03-21--Englands oldest horse race celebrates 500th anniversary after almost falling at the last hurdle

England's oldest horse race celebrates 500th anniversary, after almost falling at the last hurdle

Twelve months ago it almost fell at the final hurdle, with a waterlogged course putting paid to the annual running of England’s oldest horse race.  Under the ancient rules of the Kiplingcotes Derby if the race does not take place one year then it can never be run again.  So last year a solitary volunteer had to walk a horse along the route to keep alive the ancient tradition, dating back to 1519.  Things were very different this time round, with dozens of riders taking part in the 500th anniversary of the four-mile cross country race in front of hundreds of spectators on Thursday.  Some had flown from across the Atlantic to watch the spectacle, including one Canadian family whose distant ancestors were reputed to have been in the crowd to watch the first ever race.


thetelegraph--2019-03-30--Spring Scottish Ballet review a fun sexy 50th anniversary celebration

Spring!, Scottish Ballet, review: a fun, sexy 50th anniversary celebration

Scottish Ballet began its 50th anniversary celebrations in the Highlands with Spring!, a programme of two appropriately unconventional ballets. The world premiere of Sophie Laplane’s Dextera and a welcome revival of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations (1974) underline the company’s commitment to contemporary and modern work.  Laplane’s piece seems to refer to the flexibility of human gender. Male dancers don red gloves (the first of which has fallen from the sky) which seem to rob them of volition and transform them into malevolent puppet masters, before,  in the second scene, seven men emerge wearing scarlet mitts, each of them manipulating a female dancer as if she were a mere mannequin....


thetelegraph--2019-06-26--Monty Python jokes that have never been heard before to be aired by BBC as part of 50th anniversary

Monty Python jokes that have never been heard before to be aired by BBC as part of 50th anniversary celebrations

Never-before-heard Monty Python jokes are to be broadcast for the first time as the comedy troupe celebrate their 50th anniversary.  Michael Palin has produced five new programmes for BBC Radio 4 featuring the previously unheard material, drawn from the Python archives.  They will form part of a series of events and new releases to mark the group’s half century. The first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired on BBC One on October 5 1969.  Explaining their enduring appeal, the comedians said: “Python has survived because we live in an increasingly Pythonesque world. Extreme silliness seems more relevant now than it ever was.”  The celebrations will begin in September with a season at the British Film Institute, including a marathon screening of 45 back-to-back Flying Circus episodes across two days - each session lasting 12 hours.  The BFI will also show “oddities and rarities” from the archive including corporate videos, public information films, guest appearances, charity spots, and a chance to see some of Palin’s own 8mm film from the Python film sets.  A teaser for the Radio 4 programmes, also to be broadcast in September, said they will reveal “the extra unpleasant things” planned for Brave Sir Robin, Eric Idle’s character from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and “what John [Cleese]’s mother thought about her care home”.


thetelegraph--2019-07-01--Prince Charles celebrates 50th anniversary of investiture as Prince of Wales - with cake

On July 1, 1969, a young Prince Charles offered his clasped hands to his mother and promised to be her “liege man of life and limb”, cementing his solemn investiture as the Prince of Wales.  Half a lifetime later, and he is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that milestone with a week-long tour of Wales beginning with - what else - a cake.  The Prince, who was formally invested by the Queen at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales at the age of 20, sipped tea from a bone china cup decorated with a red Welsh dragon today, as he accepted gifts and good wishes from locals.  Cutting a large sponge cake at the Nantgarw call centres of the Prince’s Trust, he belied years of practice of such ceremonies, plunging a large knife into it and noting: "The excitement is to get it [the slice] out. It suddenly comes popping up in your face."  This year's annual “Wales Week”, in which the Prince and Duchess of Cornwall undertake engagements in Wales, will see them retrace some of his steps of 50 years ago to commemorate the milestone.  On Wednesday, he will return to Swansea, visiting Victoria Park and the Patti Pavilion, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its own city status, which was granted after the prince's ceremony.


thetorontostar--2019-07-04--Custer House to host 30th anniversary celebration

BISMARCK, N.D. - Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park will host an event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the re-created Custer House, which one historian said strengthened the North Dakota tourism industry. The Custer House is a re-creation of the living quarters of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his wife, Elizabeth, who resided in the house from 1873 until Custer’s death in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. The fort was later destroyed by locals for nails and wood and remained barren until the Civilian Conservation Corps began work on the state park in the 1930s.  “The Custer House from one generation to the next has always captured the imagination of our area, the nation and the world,” said Aaron Barth, executive director of the Missouri Valley Heritage Alliance. “It is an important fort in American history, a post that was deliberately built along the Missouri River — the longest river on the continent, that provided a route to the interior of the United States.” The fort on July 6 will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the house’s re-creation as a part of the annual Fourth of July celebration in Mandan. The free event’s central theme will be how the Custer House reconstruction helped to grow North Dakota tourism. “The purpose of this event is to consider how and why heritage tourism has been motivated and influenced by the 1980s grassroots community effort to reconstruct the Custer House in 1989,” Barth said. “It’s 2019, so 30 years is a nice placeholder to reflect on that, think about where we are today and imagine what the next steps might be in front of all of us.”  The event is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature a Native Voices panel, with discussions about what rebuilding the Custer House meant from a Native perspective and how that affects its relevance today. There also will be a rededication of the Custer House, music, a “life of a frontier soldier” program, food trucks and more. The Native Voices panel will be hosted by historian Gerard Baker, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and former superintendent of Little Bighorn National Monument and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. “Gerard Baker has done a lot of work in Native interpretation at sites like ours,” said Matt Schanandore, Fort Lincoln State Park interpretive and events director. “The panel will feature tribal members from around our state who are experts in their line of work. Whether that’s history, interpretation, they have a unique perspective.” According to the Bismarck Tribune , the event also will include free tours of the Custer House, and the park’s Gen. Custer impersonator will greet guests. In addition, the program on the life of a frontier soldier will show kids and adults the realities of life on the frontier and what a typical day was like for soldiers at the fort. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park also features the reconstructed On-a-Slant Indian Village and a reconstructed military fort that includes barracks and officer’s quarters. Both of those sites will be open to the public during the day.  Historians and experts will be around the park during the celebration to answer questions, and some important questions will be raised, as well. “The focus is on heritage tours then, today and tomorrow,” Schanandore said. “How do we establish grounds to continue to tell the story accurately from all cultural and historical angles?”


thetorontostar--2019-07-20--Nation celebrates 50th anniversary of 1st lunar footsteps

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Celebrations are in full swing across the country for the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first footsteps on another world.  Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong was the first one out, proclaiming: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”


theverge--2019-04-21--The Game Boys 30th anniversary a celebration in photos

The Game Boy’s 30th anniversary: a celebration in photos

When our editors started talking about doing a feature for the Game Boy’s 30th anniversary, I instantly knew I wanted to do this photo series. I guess the nostalgia factor kicked in; it brought all the memories back that I’m sure many of you also share with this device.  I should mention that this whole meeting took place at a bar during one of those post-work drinks with the team. Minutes after drinks were served, all of us we were scouting eBay to find some of the old accessories: the link cable, Game Boy camera, external battery pack, and Game Genie all came from various places across the US and the world. Some, to our surprise, were never even opened or used.  The centerpiece, an original Game Boy itself, came from news editor Sean Hollister. It was in pristine condition in a not-so-pristine carrying case, which some of you might remember or even still have somewhere in your attics or basements.  My approach for the photo shoot was to keep it simple. One option was to shoot it as a standard review: take it out into the world and photograph it as we do with any other product, like a new phone or laptop. The second was to shoot it in the studio with plain color that will match the product. I decided to do both.  For the in-studio photo shoot, I chose purple as my main color. The same shade of purple you see on the Game Boy branding font on the front of the device. And if I may say so myself, I think that color works pretty well.  The main photo (the first one you’ll see below) was made as a composite of about six other images. Each had cartridges placed around the frame in a different position and orientation which were later aligned and merged in Photoshop. Initially, I had retouched the dust from inside the screen, but I went back to revert those changes, because it just felt like it belongs there.  I ended up with a wide range of photos that fit the breadth of topics we discussed all week long; everything from weird accessories to music to emulation. So to further celebrate the Game Boy’s anniversary, I decided to gather all of the photos right here in one place.  Check them out below — meanwhile I’m going to grab some extra AA batteries (and that bulky battery pack) and enjoy Robopon.


theverge--2019-05-27--Asus unveils leather and gold laptop to celebrate its 30-year anniversary

Asus is celebrating its 30-year anniversary with a special edition laptop. The Asus ZenBook Edition 30 includes a white leather lid cover and an 18-karat rose gold logo that looks a lot like Star Trek’s starfleet insignia. Asus hasn’t gone full leather like HP’s leather Folio tablet / laptop hybrid, but that does mean this latest ZenBook is a traditional laptop through and through.  “Every piece of genuine leather is hand selected,” explains Asus chairman Jonney Shih. “Each panel cover is maticulously sewed by a master tailor.” Asus is also supplying special accessories for this leather laptop, including a pearl white mouse and leather sleeve. This isn’t the first time Asus has experimented with leather on laptops, though. Asus first launched its leather-clad S6F laptop in 2006 with the lid and palm rests both covered in leather.  Inside the ZenBook Edition 30 there’s Intel’s 8th Gen Core i7 processor, Nvidia’s GeForce MX250 discrete graphics, up to 16GB of RAM, and PCIe SSD storage. This 13-inch laptop also has Asus’ bezel-free display with a 95 percent screen-to-body ratio. Asus is also including its ScreenPad, that puts a screen in the trackpad.  Asus hasn’t revealed pricing or a release date yet, but given the company is pitching this as premium and it’s limited edition, this is not going to be a cheap 13-inch laptop.


theverge--2019-05-31--Lego is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 with a new lunar lander set

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission (July 20th, specifically, for the actual date of the Moon landing itself), and Lego is already gearing up to celebrate with a new Apollo 11 Eagle lunar lander set, developed together with NASA.  The set isn’t the first lunar lander from Lego — the company released one in 2003 in partnership with the Discovery Channel — but the new model is much larger, more accurate, and features over twice as many pieces for a more interesting build.  In addition to more accurate golden pieces that match the real life lander (instead of the tan ones used on the original), the new version also features a detailed interior for the ascent stage half of the lander. There’s also a Lego base designed to resemble the surface of the Moon for accurately displaying the lander once assembled.  The new set should go perfectly with Lego’s other major collaboration with NASA — the 2017 Saturn V rocket set, which itself included a miniature Apollo lander that was to scale with the massive, meter tall rocket.  The NASA Apollo 11 lunar lander set contains 1,087 pieces, and will cost $99.99 when it goes on sale on June 1st.


theverge--2019-08-05--The Matrix is returning to theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary

The Matrix is headed back to theaters for one week to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the sci-fi classic. Specifically, it’ll be screened in the 135 Dolby Cinema AMC theaters around the country, from August 30th to September 5th.  Technically, AMC is a few months late here — the film, which was written and directed by sibling duo Lana and Lilly Wachowski, was released on March 31st, 1999 — but given that the film came out so long ago, there are likely plenty of fans who never had the chance to see it properly in theaters.  Or, more cynically, given Keanu Reeves’ recent current run of pop-culture hype (specifically, the popularity of John Wick 3 and his viral “breathtaking” E3 appearance), it’s possible both Warner Bros. and AMC want to cash in on the moment with the limited release, which just coincidentally can be tied to the significant anniversary of the film as an excuse to extend the summer of Keanu.  As Morpheus would say, you can choose to “believe whatever you want to believe.”


unian--2019-03-13--Putin to visit Crimea to celebrate anniversary of occupation Russian media

Putin to visit Crimea to celebrate anniversary of occupation – Russian media

The trip is already on Putin's agenda.  Russian President Vladimir Putin has scheduled a visit to Crimea to celebrate the anniversary of the occupation of the peninsula.  The trip is already on Putin's agenda, the Russian news agency RBC reported, citing three sources close to the Russian presidential administration.  The occupying authorities have already announced a number of official events in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol on March 15-18.  UNIAN memo. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia. On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin. The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced. Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.


upi--2019-11-24--'Sopranos' cast celebrates 20th anniversary of show at NJ fan convention

Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The strength and complexity of female characters on The Sopranos was a prominent theme during a panel discussion with the show's actresses at this weekend's fan convention in New Jersey.  The iconic mob drama initially ran 1999-2007 and focused primarily on male Mafiosos in New Jersey and New York, but cast members Maureen Van Zandt, Kathrine Narducci and Sofia Milos all played intriguing supporting characters who could hold their own with the men in their lives.  "I grew up in New Jersey in a very, very Italian Catholic family, so the women always ran the show. I've never known any other way," Van Zandt, who played mob wife Gabriella Dante, told the crowd at SopranosCon at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J., on Saturday. "The women on the show were very typical of what I grew up with. So, it just felt like home to me."  Van Zandt said some of the scenes she cherishes the most were between matriarch Livia Soprano, played by the late Nancy Marchand, and crime lord Tony, played by the late James Gandolfini.  "She was so brilliant and we all wish she could have stayed on the show and stayed around much longer," Van Zandt said, giving as an example an unforgettable moment when Livia tells her adult son she feels so useless, he should just stab her in the heart with the knife he is using to carve up a dinner ham.  "Everyone thinks of the Italian mother or grandmother as being this warm, sweet, loving person and she showed that other side of an Italian woman that does exist. The dynamic between the two of them was just so incredible," Van Zandt said.  Fans frequently tell her their favorite Gabriella scene is when she called out the rudeness of a Catholic priest who embarrassed her and her friends at a church luncheon.  "I get how happy they are that I told Father Phil off," she said, referring to what people most want to talk to her about.  "My character was the boss of the household," Narducci said, referring to Charmaine Bucco, who along with her husband Artie owned a restaurant where the gangsters, their childhood friends, liked to dine.  "Artie couldn't make a move without me, so I felt like I was pretty strong on the show. I was the only one that didn't really want to be involved with the mob and I'm also the only one that really ever really -- of the women -- that would always confront Tony and have no problem with it," Narducci said.  To prepare to play Annalisa Zucca -- the female don Tony and the Sopranos crew does business with in Naples, Italy -- Milos researched the history of women gangsters.  "In Naples, the women take over if the man is in prison or he dies," Milos said. "There are some extraordinary women, just on the wrong side of the law."  The actress dismissed criticism that the show depicted negative stereotypes of Italians, and said her small, but pivotal role on The Sopranos led to a lot more work and recognition for her.  "It actually changed my career for the better where a lot of women were very grateful. I think that women have been suppressed and oppressed for centuries because of religion, because of marriage, because of culture," Milos said. "But you try to harm the child of a mother and you will know how strong a woman is."  The two-day convention attracted about 10,000 fans a day on Saturday and Sunday.  Timed to the 20th anniversary of the show's debut, the event included appearances by dozens of cast members from the show, including Dominic Chianese, Drea de Matteo, Tony Sirico, Federico Castelluccio, Burt Young, Jerry Adler, Vincent Pastore, Vincent Curatola, Al Sapienza, Matt Servitto, Artie Pasquale and Dan Grimaldi.  Goodfellas alum Tony Darrow brought his stand-up comedy act to the stage, Chianese sang Italian ballads and the British rock band Alabama 3 sang "Woke Up This Morning," the theme song from The Sopranos.  Fans lined up to have their photos taken with the stars, as well as inside recreations of Dr. Melfi's psychiatry office, the snow-covered woods of the Pine Barrens and a booth from the restaurant Holstein's featured in the series finale. There were also poker games and a cannoli eating contest.  Huge murals showing Gandolfini as Tony were set up throughout the convention center and most of the celebrities in attendance took a moment at some point to publicly pay homage to their beloved co-star. His wife Deborah Lin and 7-year-old daughter Liliana were also at the convention, organizers said.  The Emmy-winning series ran for six seasons on HBO. It co-starred Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Steven Van Zandt, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Robert Iler, Aida Turturro and Lorraine Bracco.  Castelluccio, who played Furio Giunta on the show and helped organize the convention, credits the enduring appeal of The Sopranos to the way it humananized people typically vilified on screen, mainly by showing how they interact with members of their family.  "The writing has so many levels to it. It's very deep writing and when we read these characters, we realized that something great was in that writing and we were lucky enough to be handed those words and to bring them to life," the actor told UPI in an interview on Friday.  The show inspired a wave of TV projects such as Breaking Bad, The Shield and Sons of Anarchy that centered on antiheroes.  "There had never been a show like The Sopranos on television prior to The Sopranos," Castelluccio said. "You're not able to duplicate it. It's like a great work of art. The original is always the best."  The actor was happy to celebrate the show's 20-year anniversary with old friends and die-hard Sopranos fans, but still misses Gandolfini, who died of heart attack at age 51 in 2013.  "The biggest hole in our hearts is Jim not being here," he said.


veteranstoday--2019-08-03--Woodstock 50 America begins to celebrate the anniversary

Woodstock – 50! America begins to celebrate the anniversary

This is hard to believe, but the famous rock festival Woodstock is 50 years old. On August 15-18, 1969, half a million young people gathered on a farm in upstate New York to listen to rock music and enjoy their freedom. Three full days and nights of freedom and buzz. Psychedelic music by Jimi Hendrix, virtuoso guitar of Carlos Santana, the hoarse erotic voice of Janis Joplin – we will never be so lucky as those young men and women who kneaded dirt on the field with their bare feet, swam naked like children and plunged into the best rock music nirvana of all time.  At this festival, a new America was signaled – liberated, calling for peace and love, rejecting the war and lies of the government. Free love in an atmosphere of universal ecstasy, rock music and drug use seemed to be the apogee of the movement towards freedom. The era of the sexual revolution began on Woodstock’s field and its first fruits were 200,000 children born soon after those days and nights of frantic embrace of young bodies.  What made Woodstock a pivotal event in the second half of the twentieth century? The festival was a testimony of the coming era of the baby boomer generation. The new generation wanted to leave in the past the gloomy events of 1963-1968 (the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, the lingering escalation of the disaster that was Vietnam). The hopes and dreams of this generation for a bright and peaceful future were born along with fate and liberation.  On Saturday July 27, 2019, at the BlackRock Art Center in Germantown, a suburb of the US capital, a rock festival in honor of the anniversary of Woodstock began sounding out tunes familiar to the baby boomer generation.  From three o’clock in the afternoon until late evening, the rock groups returned from non-existence to cover the music and the atmosphere of those legendary days and nights.  Of those idolized musicians, few have survived to this day, but I’ve been lucky to see Carlos Santana on the stage in Washington a couple of years ago (who had not lost his temper and possession of the magic of a guitar). I also saw Neil Young and Patti Smith in concert too. In early September you can expect to see 75-year-old Roger Daltrey fronting The Who at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Jimi Hendrix left this world at the age of 27 and Janis Joplin left the same 27. Their life was short, but the music was beautiful.  The BlackRock Woodstock rock festival in the small town of Germantown brought back a sort of continuation of legendary Woodstock, although the atmosphere was decidedly more subdued keeping with modern day America.  It seemed to me that a third of the spectators were those young dissenters of prohibitions and social norms who could have been at Woodstock half a century ago. But now they had, instead of lush curls and long hair, gray beards and wrinkled faces, figures far from being slim and sporting tired shoulders. But their eyes were shining from returning to that age of youth, when life seemed endless and you wanted to live faster, love hot and die young. The era of sex, drugs and rock and roll was on full display in Woodstock, took away with itself a lot of young rock stars and their fans, but left this everlasting thirst for freedom in the Americans.  I really liked the atmosphere at the anniversary festival in Germantown — the atmosphere of universal love and trust, looseness and warmth. The well-preserved old women in short dresses danced near the stage, in their dances I saw something for the sake of which 200 years ago their ancestors came to America – the fearless desire to pioneer themselves in a wholly new world.  Yes, to be yourself in modern America requires a considerable share of fearlessness – but not like our colonial ancestor’s the landscape has shifted.  The counter-culture of the 60s, through the efforts of crooks from this culture, turned the peace and love idol into carefully marketed packages tailored to now hip consumer.  This was accompanied by wholesale liberal culture ushering in 50 years of the porn industry and an cocaine then opioid epidemic. The sex industry has practically killed the libido as such, and attempts to show the miserable remains of still unkilled desires have been declared criminal. Asexuality is gradually becoming the norm, traditional men and women are relegated to the level of degenerates, but in the maternity hospital, young parents are now asked what gender they wish to register for a newborn child.  Dana Koch returned to the stage of the festival the unforgettable Joan Baez, the young singer resurrected the memory of the premiant folk singer of Woodstock with a fascinating voice and femininity. Classical hits of the folk star performed by Dana Koch plunged the audience into nostalgic languor.  The stillness flowed smoothly into the psychedelic nirvana music of Jefferson Airplaine. Gingerfunk All-Stars, a trio of young musicians from Northern Virginia, play in a rich palette of different genres from reggae to Beatles. Rows of spectators are replenished with new fans of rock, although the July heat still scorched faces.  The pro-funk quartet “Squaring the Circle” from Baltimore brings a lively atmosphere to the festival with bold experiments based on the compositions of the unforgettable Grateful Dead and a couple of dozen Woodstock veterans surround the stage and start dancing as Deadheads danced long, half a century ago — relaxed, joyfully and selflessly. Gray beards flying in the dance, oddly enough, do not look funny or wild.  Of the many rock musicians of those times, Neil Young was distinguished by a heightened sense of responsibility of the artist for the mood of society. The spirit of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young was embodied that night on stage in the compositions of Conor & the Wild Hunt; through indie-folk rock, young musicians try to inspire the world to strive for the best. In their passionate duos, the hot faith of those hippies and their followers who gathered in Woodstock reincarnated was that the world needed only love and war was rejected as a crime.  The real Woodstock fever began already late in the evening, when the tight bangs of the bass guitar were combined with the virtuoso passages of the solo guitar. Jimi Hendrix, a rock music genius who is still longing for rock fans, was introduced by the Baltimore group PurpleFlo. Their work is entirely devoted to the heritage of the legendary rock musician, the music, subtly psychedelic, penetrates the subconscious and you are already in that Woodstock, where young and very beautiful lunar bodies are dancing in the rain and are still completely free.  Rock is alive, the thirst for freedom in Americans is indestructible, youth is looking for ways to liberation, Woodstock half a century later did not become just a sentimental memory, it suddenly sprouted in the new germs of a lively counter-culture crushed by globalists and liberals. Those young hippies who danced and kissed on the Woodstock field in the rain wanted to create their own Garden of Freedom. But they got lost, they were betrayed by those who promised them even more freedom, more drugs and more sex. Having gone into the dark corners of the altered consciousness, they did not have time to realize that a real revolution will need a clear mind and strong will.


breitbart--2019-09-30--China Flies Hong Kong Chief into Beijing for Communist Anniversary

Pro-democracy protesters took the streets on Saturday and Sunday, first for an event observing the five-year anniversary of the Umbrella Movement – the 2014 protests against China – and then on Sunday for an “illegal” protest urging global powers to oppose China’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s traditional democracy. Under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, China agreed not to impose communism on the city in exchange for Hong Kong not seeking sovereignty.  The protest movement reemerged after nearly five years in June to oppose a legislative bill that would have allowed China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong, not just Chinese citizens, for violating communist law. Lam promised to withdraw the extradition bill, but protesters are still demanding freedom for political prisoners, direct election of lawmakers, an end to the government calling protesters “rioters,” and an independent probe into police brutality against protesters.  Lam left Hong Kong on Monday along with a reported 240-strong entourage of Hong Kong officials, police officers, and communist hangers-on who are expected to attend the massive October 1 parade that dictator Xi Jinping has organized. Lam is expected to play some role in the celebration, though it is not yet clear what Beijing has planned for her.  Her departure preceded the news, relayed by the South China Morning Post, that the decision to withdraw the controversial extradition bill was not hers unilaterally, but Xi Jinping’s. Although under “One Country, Two Systems,” Hong Kong’s chief executive should govern autonomously, the Post revealed, citing sources, that Lam reached out to Xi and asked permission before announcing that she would concede to one of the five demands. Lam spent months arguing that the legislature did not have to withdraw the bill because it was already “dead” – by which she meant tabled, in a state in which lawmakers could revive it at any time.  “The withdrawal of the bill is a crucial decision and, like appointments of principal officials in Hong Kong, it had to be approved by President Xi,” an anonymous source told the Post. “The Hong Kong government does not have much room to maneuver on options for handling the political crisis triggered by the bill as the central government considers it in the context of the US-China relationship. It’s no longer just a matter concerning the relationship between Hong Kong and the central government.”  Lam claimed when announcing the bill withdrawal that it was her decision to ask the legislature to take the bill out of potential debate.  Lam’s arrival in Beijing would follow that of at least ten Hong Kong police officers, also in town for anniversary celebrations. Among the delegation was Sergeant Lau Chak-kei, a notorious officer responsible for actively targeting protesters with beanbag rounds, who spent the weekend meeting with senior government agents. The Global Times, a Chinese government propaganda outlet, published a video of Lau meeting with its editor-in-chief and Fu Guohao, a Global Times “journalist” who received a $14,000 award for antagonizing Hong Kong protesters.  The South China Morning Post reported that the Hong Kong officers were treated to a tour of the Great Wall of China and a delegation of communist students applauding them upon their arrival at the landmark.  While some of Hong Kong’s most senior repressors were in Beijing this weekend, protesters took to the streets urging the world to join their call for China to respect human rights. Sunday’s “illegal” protest featured flags from all over the world and “thank you” signs to countries whose governments had warned China to heed the protesters. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and live gunfire against the thousands of people who peacefully assembled. In response, some protesters began throwing bricks and Molotov cocktails and police and setting up burning barricades.  This weekend’s protests reportedly resulted in over 100 arrests and 48 hospitalizations.  Hong Kong’s government refused to give the protesters a permit to assemble on October 1, the communist anniversary, citing the violence this weekend. Police were already forced to cancel the annual National Day fireworks last week, however, fearing that public celebrations of communism would attract protesters. Protest groups have vowed to take the streets anyway, using the occasion to highlight the horrors of communism before the world.  The Global Times continued its campaign to smear the pro-democracy movement on Monday, accusing the “young radicals” of “attacking police officers, damaging public property, and vandalizing government buildings.”  “Months of protests have deprived people’s freedom and rights to a normal life, and now radicals are depriving Hong Kong residents from celebrating the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, which cannot be tolerated at all,” the Global Times claimed, citing a statement from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, a special interest group that often aligns with Chinese interests.


cnn--2019-06-18--Joe Biden stops by Stonewall Inn to commemorate 50th anniversary of riots

The former vice president has been vocal in his support of the LGBTQ community on the campaign trail.  The Bidens' visit comes during Pride Month, during which the former vice president has been vocal about LGBTQ issues. In a speech to the Human Rights Campaign in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this month, he accused the Trump administration of endangering the LGBT community by failing to defend its rights and safety. He said passing the pro-LGBT Equality Act would be his top priority if elected president.  "We've already had five, just this year, five black transgender women killed violently in 2019 -- that's outrageous. It must, it must, it must end," Biden said during the speech. "And the fastest way to end it is, end the Trump administration."  Biden has officiated multiple same-sex weddings. He famously made headlines in 2012 when he came out in support of same-sex marriage, putting President Barack Obama in a tough position to announce his changed stance on the issue too. The Stonewall Inn, located in Greenwich Village, is an iconic New York City landmark, which Obama designated as the country's first national monument to LGBT rights in 2016. The bar made history on June 28, 1969, after violent demonstrations erupted following an early-morning police raid, prompting Stonewall patrons to fight back. LGBTQ men and women were frequently discriminated against by New York police through laws that prohibited same-sex relations at the time, and raids on gay bars were common. Protests continued outside the bar weeks after several of the patrons were arrested. The demonstrations are considered to have sparked the larger gay rights movement in the United States. The first gay pride was held one year later on the anniversary of the riots. "For all the hard-won progress, for as much as we can celebrate how much better things have gotten -- this fight is not over," Biden said in another tweet. For all the hard-won progress, for as much as we can celebrate how much better things have gotten — this fight is not over.    We have to come together to stand up to abuses of power, ensure that everyone is treated with dignity, and fight for full equality. pic.twitter.com/aCoWE0hggC — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 18, 2019 He continued in that tweet: "We have to come together to stand up to abuses of power, ensure that everyone is treated with dignity, and fight for full equality." Earlier this month, the New York City Police department formally apologized for its role in the violence that led to the riots.


dailyheraldchicago--2019-06-28--Pride on display on 50th anniversary of Stonewall uprising

NEW YORK -- New York City is marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, days of unrest in Manhattan's Greenwich Village that began with a police raid on a gay bar and developed into a sustained LGTBQ liberation movement.  The streets outside the modern incarnation of the Stonewall Inn were blocked off Friday in preparation for a day of celebrations that include musical performances and an evening rally.  The city's huge Pride parade on Sunday also swings past the bar and a tiny, green park outside, which is at the center of the Stonewall National Monument.  In 1969, the Stonewall Inn was part of a gay scene that was known, yet not open. At the time, showing same-sex affection or dressing in a way deemed gender-inappropriate could get people arrested, and bars had lost liquor licenses for serving such people.  The police raid on the bar began early the morning of June 28. It was unlicensed, and the officers had been assigned to stop any illegal alcohol sales.  Patrons and people passing by on Christopher Street resisted, shoving and hurling objects at the officers.  Protests followed over several more days. A year later, gay New Yorkers marked the anniversary of the riot with the Christopher Street Liberation Day March. Thousands proudly paraded through a city where, at the time, gay people were expected to stay in the shadows.  The Stonewall Inn itself closed not long after the raid.  Since then, the space has been a bagel shop, a Chinese restaurant and other establishments, including a gay bar called Stonewall that briefly operated in the late 1980s.  The current Stonewall Inn dates to the early 1990s.  For years, its path was pitted with financial strains, business vagaries and loss. One co-owner, Jimmy Pisano, died three months before the Stonewall rebellion's 25th anniversary in 1994.  Current owners Stacy Lentz and Kurt Kelly bought the business in 2006 and have sought to keep its legacy current.  "We understand we're the innkeepers of history," Lentz said. "We really feel like the fire that started at Stonewall in 1969 is not done," Lentz says. "The battleground has just shifted."


eveningstandard--2019-01-02--Loose Women to aposmove to evenings for 20th anniversary tourapos

Loose Women to 'move to evenings for 20th anniversary tour'

Loose Women is reportedly set to take their show on the road this year in a bid to mark their 20th anniversary.  The lunchtime ITV panel show is reportedly gearing up to trade its daytime slot for an evening show held in front of live audiences.  Janet Street-Porter and Andrea McLean are reportedly said to be amongst the regular faces taking Loose Women to theatres around the UK.  A source told The Sun: “The ladies and their team felt this was the perfect way for Loose Women to celebrate 20 years on our screens. And the tour will remind us all why they’ve been such a success for so long."  Faces in the current line-up also include Stacey Solomon, Nadia Sawalha, Saira Khan, Carol McGiffin, Coleen Nolan, Ruth Langsford and Linda Robson.  The show first hit screens in 1999 with Sawalha, Jane Moore, Karren Brady and Kaye Adams on the panel.  Standard Online has contacted representatives of the show for comment.  Last month the show welcomed back Nolan months after her very public spat with Kim Woodburn.  The panellist pulled out of TV commitments and postponed her solo tour after an on-air argument erupted with her former Celebrity Big Brother co-star last year, which saw Nolan targeted by a tirade of online abuse.  Viewers turned their anger to Nolan, who could be heard muttering under her breath while Woodburn spoke about her childhood.  At the time, Nolan’s team released a statement declaring that she would be taking a hiatus from television and would only return to work once she “felt stronger.”  Loose Women is on ITV, weekdays at 12:30pm


eveningstandard--2019-01-17--Fabric announces new events residents and mix series for 20th anniversary

Fabric announces new events, residents and mix series for 20th anniversary

Fabric has revealed a string of special events to celebrate its 20th anniversary — ending days of speculation that the club might be closing.  The iconic Farringdon nightspot had previously sparked rumours on social media after boarding up its entrance, as well as wiping all previous posts from its social media accounts.  However, the boarding outside Fabric was later painted with huge arrows that pointed towards two small holes. If peered into, a message was reportedly visible: “The next chapter starts here. Love, fabric xx.”  The club has now confirmed it was all part of its 20th anniversary relaunch, which will feature a number of new events, residents and a mix series.  The new club events, part of the “fabric XX” series, will comprise of 20 extended sets from the likes of Bonobo, The Martinez Brothers and Fuse.  Fabric’s annual birthday weekender — which went on for 30 hours straight in 2018 — will this year run throughout every weekend in October, organisers confirmed.  New residents will also be revealed, to join the club’s roster alongside Terry Francis and Craig Richards, its founding residents. Anna Wall and Bobby are the first two DJs to be announced, and will play at a free launch party in Room Three of Fabric tonight, January 17 — limited guest list spots can be obtained by messaging the club on its Instagram page.  A new quarterly mix series, “fabric presents”, will also launch later this year, with the first edition coming from Bonobo.  Tickets for the fabric XX events can be bought here — more will be announced in the near future.


eveningstandard--2019-02-20--Victoria Beckham praises aposgreat husbandapos David as she opens up on 20th anniversary plans

Victoria Beckham praises 'great husband' David as she opens up on 20th anniversary plans

The former Spice Girl, 44, opened up about their relationship ahead of their 20th wedding anniversary this July.  “David is such a great husband, such a great dad and the most incredible business partner that anybody could ever want,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “He really supports me in what I do.”  When quizzed on plans to celebrate their upcoming milestone anniversary, Victoria revealed that they want to keep it low-key.  She said: “I don’t think [we’ll do anything big]. We’ll probably just celebrate with the kids.”  The fashion designer also joked that while seven-year-old daughter Harper was praised for her Anna Wintour-inspired bob at her show earlier this week, she also once sported the look.  She said: “Anna is an inspiration to us all but a certain somebody else used to have a bob as well, it was me!”  On Tuesday, Beckham paid tribute to Chanel’s artistic director, Karl Lagerfeld, after he died at the age of 85.  Beckham told fans she had been left “incredibly sad” by the news, hailing the fashion mogul a “genius.”  “So incredibly sad to hear this,” she posted. “Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally. RIP.”  Lagerfeld, who had been head of fashion house Chanel since 1983, was rushed to hospital on Monday night, according to publication Paris Match, after a period of ill health.  Beckham is also mother to sons Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 16 and Cruz, 14, with David.


eveningstandard--2019-07-20--Breathtaking photos released to mark 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing

A series of breathtaking photos was released today to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic feat of man touching down on the moon.  On July 16, 1969, the Saturn V rocket blasted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre, sending NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins on a quarter of a million-mile trip to the Moon, touching down on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, at 20.17 UTC.  Neil Armstrong made history when he stepped out of Apollo 11’s Eagle landing module on 21 July 1969, leaving the first human footprints on the moon.  It was one of the most viewed events in world history. BBC One stayed on air continuously overnight for its first, all-night broadcast for the Apollo 11 mission.  Today a series of pictures was released showing in incredible detail Buzz Aldrin's first few steps on the moon.  Members of the public also shared their personal memories of the Apollo 11 moon landings today.  Brits revealed touching stories, from a woman in labour who delayed going to hospital, to a man who proposed as they tuned into coverage of the landing.  "At the moment of landing I actually pulled the car up to listen to the radio," Bill Kerney, who popped the question to Jane on July 20, 1969, the night astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin arrived at the moon.  "My now-husband must have been moon struck on that night to do what he did," Mrs Kerney recalled.  "We were going from Birmingham New Street station to south Birmingham where I was living and we were listening on the radio to everything that was going on and then when we got to my bedsitter, a certain romantic person got down on one knee and proposed."  The couple have been married for 48 years and went on to rename their boat Apollo 11 in memory of the big occasion.  Hundreds of people from across the country submitted everything from memories, to newspaper cuttings, photos and ways Apollo 11 inspired their lives, as part of a digital scrapbook, curated by the UK Space Agency and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.  "Thank you to all those who took part in the Moon Landing Memories campaign," said British astronaut Tim Peake.  "The Apollo 11 lunar landing was humanity's most audacious mission and our greatest achievement.  "It is no surprise that for those who watched it live, and for those who were born into a world where humans had already walked on the moon, it remains a source of inspiration and wonder.  "As we reflect on past achievements and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, we must also look to the future as we embark on a new era of space exploration to the moon, Mars and beyond."  Fifty of the submissions will be put into the digital scrapbook, with a selection also going on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester.  "These memories of the first moon landing bring to life the magic of that iconic moment," said Science Minister Chris Skidmore.  "They clearly show why some of the children who watched live in 1969 were inspired to become the engineers and scientists that are now building our thriving space industry in the UK.  "To retain our status as one of the world leaders in the new space age, we need the next generation to follow in their footsteps and our modern Industrial Strategy is backing the industry to create these highly skilled, well-paid space jobs for the future."


eveningstandard--2019-09-20--Friends 25th anniversary Google Ross Joey Rachel Chandler Phoebe Monica for character Easter e

Friends 25th anniversary: Google Ross, Joey, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe, Monica for character Easter eggs

Twenty five years ago today, one of the most famous and iconic sitcoms of all time aired for the first time.  Friends captured hearts and minds over the course of its 10 seasons, making household names of the actors, hairstyles and phrases (just how are you doin, exactly?).  It became one of the most watched TV shows on earth from 1994-2004, with millions glued to their TV screens to watch Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe live their lives in Manhattan.  And to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic TV show, Google has provided some excellent 90s nostalgia in the form of several Easter eggs hidden within the site's search function.  Each of the six-man cast members has been given their own special feature, so you can now "pivot" your own computer screen or have your own rendition of one of Phoebe's iconic songs at the touch of your fingertips.  To unlock each Easter egg, it's fairly simple - all you need to do it search the character's name in the search bar. Easy.  So for example if you type Phoebe Buffay' into Google and click on the guitar that then appears, you will hear a rousing rendition of Smelly Cat along with an animated picture of said cat walking across your screen.  The other characters all have their own egg, with each one a different icon which represents some of their best moments in the show.  Alternatively, if you’re looking to brush up on your 90s sitcom lingo, just search “Friends glossary” for a quick lesson in New York vocab.  This isn't the first time Google has decided to jump on the cultural bandwagon with a unique Easter egg. In April when Avengers: Endgame finally landed in cinemas, Google cleverly made half the search results disappear at the click of Thanos' fingers.  Can this BE any more Google?


eveningstandard--2019-10-06--Glastonbury 2020 Tickets for festivalaposs 50th anniversary sell out in 34 minutes after aposhi

Glastonbury 2020: Tickets for festival's 50th anniversary sell out in 34 minutes after 'highest ever' demand

Tickets for Glastonbury 2020 sold out in just over half an hour.  The festival, which takes place in June next year at Worthy Farm, Somerset, is now in its 50th year.  Organiser Emily Eavis, daughter of found Michael, said demand this year was higher than ever, with 2.4m people registering to vote.  All 135,000 tickets for the 2020 event were bought within 34 minutes, according to organisers.  Disappointed fans who missed out can try their luck at the ticket resale in April.  A tweet on the official festival account said: "Tickets for Glastonbury 2020 have now sold out. Thank you to everyone who bought one, and sorry to those who missed out.  "There will be a ticket resale in April - plus we'll be announcing details of a special ballot for the sale of 50 pairs of tickets in the coming days."  Ms Eavis added: "We have now sold out. Thank you all for your incredible, continued support.  "Demand was higher than ever, with over 2.4million people registered. Bring on 2020!"  Ticket and coach packages for next year's Glastonbury festival sold out within half an hour of going on sale on Thurday, according to organisers.  Glastonbury celebrates its 50th year in 2020, and big acts are expected to be booked to appear on the various stages at Worthy Farm.  Fans have speculated Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna and Taylor Swift could be among the headliners.  Glastonbury 2019 was headlined by Stormzy, The Killers and The Cure .


eveningstandard--2019-11-05--Mariah Carey 'freaks out' as she marks 25th anniversary of All I Want For Christmas Is You

Mariah Carey has said she is "freaking out" over her hit song All I Want For Christmas Is You entering its 25th year this Christmas.  The pop icon, 49, first released the song in 1994, entering the UK charts at number 5 before rising to number 2.  It is one of her most successful songs to date, having spent a total of 92 weeks in the UK charts and rose again to number 2 over Christmas in 2017 and 2018.  The song has charted in the USA each year at Christmas time since its original release.  Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Carey said: “The more I hear [that it’s turning 25], the more I freak out. I’d rather just say it feels like it’s going to be a great anniversary for the album. We’ll call it a birthday. It’s not that it scares me, it’s just if you don’t acknowledge time, you don’t have to deal with it.”  When writing the song, Carey said she decided to "get into the Christmas mood" before writing the hit.  “I just sat down, decorated a little tree and put on It’s A Wonderful Life and tried to get into that mood," she said. "Then I sat in this small room with a keyboard and started doing little melodies and stuff. I was going over all the things I think about at Christmas time that make me happy and how to turn it around and make it into a love song.”  Last week, the star’s 1994 album Merry Christmas - which All I Want for Christmas is You featured on - was re-released today to mark its 25th anniversary.  She also released a tongue-in-cheek video launching the start of the festive season.  The video kicks off as Carey goes to sleep dressed in her Halloween costume, still wearing a glam rock-style wig and heavy eye make-up and clutching her phone in her hand.  The camera then zooms in on the phone screen as the time changes to midnight on November 1, marking the end of the Halloween celebrations.  The famous opening notes of All I Want For Christmas play in the background as Carey’s phone flashes with an incoming call from Santa.  Carey’s fans hailed the singer for fully embracing the festive season, with many Twitter users joking that she’d been gearing up for this moment all year.  Read the full interview in the December issue of Cosmopolitan – on sale now


eveningstandard--2019-11-12--Moby debuts 'Animal rights' tattoo to mark his '32 year vegan anniversary'

Moby has unveiled a new double sleeve tattoo to celebrate his “32 year vegan anniversary.”  The musician, real name Richard Melville Hall, debuted the bold design - which consists of the words “animal rights” in block capital letters - on his Instagram and Facebook accounts on Tuesday afternoon.  He shared a photo of himself wearing a short-sleeved grey t-shirt, posing with his arms outstretched and his fists clenched to clearly show off the inking.  “As November is my 32 year vegan anniversary I thought I’d get a tattoo (well, technically 12 tattoos) to celebrate,” he wrote.  “I’m a vegan animal rights activist for many reasons, but ultimately because I believe at the core of my being that every animal has the right to live their own life, according to their own will. Thanks @thekatvond @highvoltagetat #veganforlife #animalrights.”  The singer, 54, credited his new tattoo to Kat Von D, the tattooist and former star of reality show LA Ink.  Von D is also famed for her animal rights activism and for her eponymous make-up brand, which is vegan and cruelty free.  In September, Moby revealed a neck tattoo celebrating his vegan lifestyle, which read “Vegan for life” in capital letters.  At the time, he said that the inking was “a pretty safe bet” as he had been vegan for “almost 32 years” at the time.  “Also, working for animal rights and animal liberation is my life’s work,” he added. “And to state the obvious, it’s a double entendre…”  The star is well known for his dedicated to a plant-based lifestyle and owns a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, Little Pine.  He is also the founder of Circle V, a music festival which celebrates animal rights and raises money for animal protection charity Mercy for Animals.


freedombunker--2019-11-09--Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Today is the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is undeniably a happy occasion—not only because the fall of the Wall was good in itself, but because it presaged the collapse of communist tyranny throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. But the history of the Wall also carries some important lessons that we have not fully learned even today—lessons about the nature of communism, but also about the importance of freedom of movement across international boundaries.  Most of what I wrote on the twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversaries of the fall of the Wall remains relevant today, and much of what follows is adapted from those earlier posts:  In several ways, the Wall and its collapse are fitting symbols of communism. They demonstrate several truths about that system that we would be wise not to lose sight of. First and foremost, Cold War-era Berlin was the most visible demonstration of the superiority of capitalism and democracy over communism and dictatorship. Despite the fact that East Germany had one of the highest standards of living in the Soviet bloc, it had to build a wall to keep its people from fleeing to the capitalist West. By contrast, West Germans and other westerners were free to move to the communist world anytime they wanted. Yet only a tiny handful ever did so. Decisions to "vote with your feet" are often better indicators of peoples' true preferences than ballot box voting, since foot voters have better incentives to become well-informed about the alternatives before them. Even more powerful evidence is the fact that many East Germans and others fled communism even when doing so meant risking their lives.  Second, the Berlin Wall was an important symbol of the way in which communist governments violated the human right to freedom of movement, one of the most important attributes of a free society. If people are forcibly trapped under the rule of the government in whose territory they happen to be born, they are not truly free; rather, they are hostages of their rulers.  Finally, the sudden collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 vividly demonstrated the extent to which communist totalitarianism relied on coercion to maintain its rule. Some Western scholars and leftists contended that most Russians and Eastern Europeans actually supported communism or at least preferred it to the available alternatives. The events of 1989 gave the lie to this notion. Once the Soviet government and its puppet states in Eastern Europe signalled that they would no longer suppress opposition by force, the Berlin Wall was quickly torn down, and communist governments throughout Eastern Europe collapsed within months.  Despite all of the above, I am somewhat conflicted about the status of the Berlin Wall as the symbol of communist oppression in the popular imagination. My reservations have to do with the underappreciated fact that the Wall was actually one of communism's smaller crimes. Between 1961 and 1989, about 100 East Germans were killed trying to escape to the West through Wall. The Wall also trapped several million more Germans in a repressive totalitarian society. These are grave atrocities. But they pale in comparison to the millions slaughtered in gulags, deliberately created famines, and mass executions of "kulaks" and "class enemies."  The Berlin Wall wasn't even the worst communist atrocity in East Germany. As historian Norman Naimark has documented, Soviet occupation troops in East Germany raped some 2 million German women, executed thousands of political prisoners (only a minority of whom were Nazis or guilty of war crimes), and imposed extensive forced labor on much of the population. It is true, of course, that German troops committed comparable, and often even greater, atrocities in the USSR. But the one set of wrongs in no way justifies the other. Forced labor and concentration camps continued on a substantial scale even after the Soviets established an "independent" East German state in 1949.  Terrible though the Berlin Wall was, focusing on it as the main example of communist injustice may actually lead people to underestimate how awful that system truly was. It is a bit like portraying Kristallnacht or the Night of the Long Knives (both atrocities had death tolls roughly comparable to that of the Berlin Wall) as the main example of Nazi oppression, rather than the Holocaust.  It is right to commemorate the fall of the Wall, and to mourn its victims. But we should also remember that it was just the tip of a much larger iceberg of communist oppression. Indeed, those other oppressive policies were the main reason why so many Germans (and others) sought to flee communism in the first place. The true lesson of the Berlin Wall is not merely that the Wall itself was unjust, but that it was meant to perpetuate other, far more severe injustices by making it impossible to escape them. That lesson remains relevant today, as socialist dictatorships continue to oppress millions in Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela.  In western nations, "democratic socialism" has gained ground in recent years. While most of its advocates do not want to go as far as the communists did, the two ideologies nonetheless share a great deal of dangerous common ground.  In addition to overlooking the broader significance of the Wall for the nature of communism, too many people are also inclined to ignore its broader implications for the value of international freedom of movement. For millions of people around the world today, like for East Germans until 1989, international migration is the only realistic way to escape a lifetime of poverty and oppression. Yet governments—including those of liberal democracies—routinely use coercion to stop them from "voting with their feet."  That coercion sometimes includes literal walls—like the one President Trump hopes to build on the US border with Mexico—and brutality like that which is all too common at immigration detention centers right here in the land of the free. To top it off, building Trump's wall would require seizing the property of thousands of Americans who live along the border—a disdain for private property rights that the communist rulers of East Germany would surely find congenial.  Many try to differentiate Western immigration restrictions from the Berlin Wall on the grounds that there is a crucial difference between locking people in their homeland, and locking them out from some particular destination. Alternatively, it could be argued that East Germans were trapped in a more oppressive system than most migrants today. But these distinctions break down upon inspection. I summarized some of the reasons why here:  [Some] argue that there is a distinction between locking people in completely and "merely" preventing them from leaving for a specific destination (such as the US). But surely we would still condemn the Berlin Wall if the East German government had said its purpose was to block its citizens from moving to the West, but they were still free to leave for other communist nations. As a practical matter, moreover, the US border is Mexico's longest and most significant land boundary, by far, and blocking exit rights through that border is a major restriction on Mexicans' ability to go anywhere by land. Another possible distinction between the two cases is that East Germans were locked into a far more oppressive regime than Mexicans would be. But Mexico's corrupt and often deeply unjust government is far from wonderful, and being confined there would force many potential migrants to endure what may well be a lifetime of poverty and exposure to violence. Moreover, the right to exit is not limited only to citizens of the most oppressive regimes. If Canada or the United States were to block their citizens from leaving, that would surely be a gross violation of human rights, even though Canada and the US are substantially freer and wealthier societies than Mexico. Forcibly confining people to the US or Canada is less unjust than confining them to Mexico. But it would be a grave injustice nonetheless.  Another possible way to justify the distinction is to analogize national governments to private homeowners or clubs, who have the right to keep people out for virtually any reason they want. But that theory has deeply illiberal implications for natives, as well as potential immigrants. If taken seriously, it would justify giving government almost as much totalitarian control over our lives, as the government of East Germany once wielded over its people.  Economist Bryan Caplan has some additional criticisms of the distinction between "locking in" would-be migrants and "locking out." Among other things, he explains how the East German policy could easily have fallen within the latter category, if the communists had been willing to make a few modest modifications. Ultimately, both types of policies represent massive coercive government intervention to prevent people from taking advantage of opportunities offered by free markets and civil society.  I would add that some of the people forcibly kept out by US and other western nations' immigration policies are indeed fleeing East German-like levels of oppression. Consider, for instance, Venezuelans fleeing the horrifically oppressive socialist government of that nation, or Cuban refugees fleeing communism, who are now often barred from staying in the US, thanks to a cruel policy reversal by President Obama, which Trump has kept in place.  The oppression facilitated by Western governments' immigration restrictions is, at least in most cases, not nearly as great as that perpetuated by the Berlin Wall. But the two injustices are nonetheless similar in kind, even if—usually—different in degree. Our governments' policies are not nearly as bad as those of the East German communists. But we should aspire to a higher standard than that.  We should celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Wall. But, at the same time, we should make a commitment to ending similar injustices that remain all too common today.


newsbusters--2019-11-07--Liberals Hail Matthews on 20th Anniversary as ‘One of the True Pillars of Our Democracy’

This week marks 20 years for liberal pundit Chris Matthews having his show Hardball on MSNBC (after being on CNBC from 1997 to 1999) and, throughout the week, the show will offer words of congratulations from celebrities, journalists, fellow pundits, and members of Congress.  Through the first three days, it’s gone about as well as you would have expected, chock full of liberals in the above categories and syrupy praise for a man who was hailed as having “a great political head,” hosting a show that’s “the gold standard,” and even being a “pillar of our democracy.”  Look out, Chris, as it looks like more than a few out there have thrills up their legs!  Leading off Monday and Tuesday, there were liberal late-night comics with good wishes. CBS’s Late Night host Stephen Colbert joked that Matthews “can inhale now” after 20 years while HBO’s Real Time host Bill Maher humorously quipped that “there’s no one I’d rather get talked over in a three-second satellite lag.”  There were plenty of celebrities too. They included Ben Stiller, who boasted that “I really love your show” and been “a huge fan.” Woody Harrelson offered hello from Bangkok, and Michael Moore joked that “only one of us is getting into heaven” before mimicking his awkward laugh.  15 elected officials were included in tributes Monday through Wednesday and, not surprisingly, not a single one was a Republican. With that in mind, it was amusing to observe how so many were so complimentary and claimed that, well, he plays hardball.  On Monday night, the cast featured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who asserted that Matthews “ask[s] tough questions” and “has a great political head.”  The next day, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RH) hilariously told the camera that “Hardball bring[s] out the gritty truth behind the headlines” and colleague Ed Markey (D-MA) affirmed that Matthews’s show was “the gold standard for political news.”  In another set of tributes, 2020 Democrat Kamala Harris thanked Matthews for “always throwing the fast pitches” while fellow compatriot Amy Klobuchar argued that “I cannot think of a better time to have Chris Matthews on the air.”  And on Wednesday, the three elected Democrats offered up real doozies (click “expand”):  SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D-DE): To Chris and the whole Hardball team, congratulations on 20 years of smart analysis, spirited debate, and always telling it like it is. CONGRESSWOMAN JACKIE SPEIER (D-CA): You're one of the best standard bearers for the power of the fourth estate. You’re a fierce watchdog for the American people, so keep on grilling us. CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): Every time I come on the show, I never know what types of hard balls, curve balls will be coming my way, but I always know I can expect pride and professionalism from the team as they put that into the show every single night. So here's to many more years of Chris Matthews and the team shaping the dialogue and holding American leaders to account.  And last but not least, there were 15 colleagues who chimed in with perhaps the most fluff.  During Tuesday’s show, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt boasted that the first thing he watches after his newscast because of his “unique ability to cut through the daily heapings of political word salad.”  But White House correspondent Kristen Welker went above and beyond her colleagues, rivaling Speier for the worst quote for gushing that not only has he “turned tough interviews into an art,” but he’s “one of the true pillars of our democracy.”  Wednesday’s shout-outs began with a cute and humorous back-and-forth with the core four of Morning Joe (Mike Barnicle, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, and Joe Scarborough) and the last section with fellow MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Chuck Todd, but the next set brought a thick lather of praise (click “expand”):  Stay tuned for later this week when NewsBusters covers part two with the tributes that could arise on the Thursday and Friday shows.  To see the relevant transcript and all the tributes from MSNBC’s Hardball on November 4-6, click “expand.”  STEPHEN COLBERT: Congratulations on an incredible run, Chris. 20 years of Hardball. You can inhale now. [LAUGHTER] CONGRESSMAN JERRY NADLER (D-NY): Hi, Chris. I just want to congratulate you and the entire Hardball team for 20 years of important television. SENATOR SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): 20 years? Congratulations, Chris, on 20 years of Hardball. What an accomplishment. What a job. What a show. CONGRESSMAN TED LIEU (D-CA): Happy anniversary, you and your show are awesome. SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Hardball is a great show. You’ve done great work. You ask tough questions. You have a great political head and I hope there are many, many more years of success. DEBRA MESSING: Chris, 20 years? I have been watching you for 20 years. BEN STILLER: Hey, Chris. It`s Ben Stiller. I just want to say I really love your show. I’m a huge fan. Happy 20th anniversary. WOODY HARRELSON: Chris, congratulations. A warm greeting to you from Bangkok at 3:30 in the morning. Twenty years, man, that’s awesome. MICHAEL MOORE: Hey, I just wanted to say congratulations to Chris Matthews from one Irish Catholic to another. Only one of us is getting into heaven and I think you know who that is. [IMPERSONATES MATTHEWS’S LAUGH] NICOLLE WALLACE: Chris Matthews, 20 years. How do you do it? I don’t know. You’re an inspiration, you’re a joy, you’re a pleasure and you’re one of my favorites to be on the air with and to watch. Congratulations, my friend. BRIAN WILLIAMS: Congratulations on 20 years. This is not a career, by the way. This is 20 years playing one position. On behalf of this loyal viewer, thank you, my friend, for always asking the questions that matter every night of the week. Congratulations.  BILL MAHER: New rule, Chris Matthews owes us 20 more years of Hardball. I’m honored to call you a friend and there’s no one I’d rather get talked over in a three-second satellite lag. [LAUGHTER] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Congratulations on getting this far. The first 20 years are always the hardest. [LAUGHTER] SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-RH): Congratulations, Chris Matthews, on 20 years of Hardball bringing out the gritty truth behind the headlines. CONGRESSWOMAN KAREN BASS (D-CA): Chris Matthews, one of my favorite shows, your analysis, your hard-hitting interviews. Thank you so much for your work. SENATOR EDWARD MARKEY (D-MA): Hardball is the gold standard for political news, and it’s because of you. Congratulations on 20 years, and we’re all looking forward to 20 more, my friend. SENATOR MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): Hi, Chris Matthews. It’s Michael Bennet from Colorado coming to you from Manchester, New Hampshire to congratulate you on 20 years of Hardball. PETE BUTTIGIEG (D): Chris, congratulations on 20 amazing years. Looking forward to see what the next 20 will be like for you. SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): Hey, Chris. Happy 20th anniversary of Hardball and thanks for always throwing the fast pitches. SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): I cannot think of a better time to have Chris Matthews on the air than right now during this Trump era, because you don’t take any bull. You keep pushing through and mostly, you cover what matters. I can’t wait to see the next 20 years. LESTER HOLT: Chris, 20 years in and you are still throwing the heat on Hardball. You’re the first thing I watch after I finish my broadcast each evening. Your unique ability to cut through the daily heapings of political word salad has never been more important. So, to you and the entire Hardball staff, congratulations on a remarkable milestone, 20 years and wishing you many more. Go get ‘em, pal. KRISTEN WELKER: Chris, congratulations on 20 years of Hardball on MSNBC. As a Philly girl, you have always been one of my biggest inspirations. You’ve turned tough interviews into an art. You are one of the true pillars of our democracy. ANDREA MITCHELL: Twenty years of Hardball? That is just amazing. Congratulations, Chris Matthews, the entire Hardball team, for your success for your 20th anniversary.  JOE SCARBOROUGH: You know, Willie, it was 20 years ago today that Sergeant Matthews — GEIST: Can you believe it's been 20 years, Mike Barnicle of our good friend Chris Matthews and our favorite show, Hardball, screaming the headline and then getting us going for an hour. Nobody in this business has more passion for politics. Nobody — GEIST: — has more perspective on politics than Chris Matthews. MIKE BARNICLE: Not only can I believe it, I lived it. 20 years ago today, Chris Matthews called me and asked me to be on Hardball. BARNICLE: Yes. I was on — I was on — BARNICLE: — one of his earliest shows — yes, really — on one of his earliest shows and I've been waiting 20 years later. Is he going to call me back? SCARBOROUGH: Mika, I've said before to Chris, it is your favorite moment of the day — BRZEZINSKI: I love the open. I’m obsessed with it. I wait for it every night. SCARBOROUGH: There's only one Chris Matthews and there’s only one Hardball. Thank you so much for 20 amazing years. SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D-DE): To Chris and the whole Hardball team, congratulations on 20 years of smart analysis, spirited debate, and always telling it like it is. CONGRESSWOMAN JACKIE SPEIER (D-CA): You're one of the best standard bearers for the power of the fourth estate. You’re a fierce watchdog for the American people, so keep on grilling us. CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): Every time I come on the show, I never know what types of hard balls, curve balls will be coming my way, but I always know I can expect pride and professionalism from the team as they put that into the show every single night. So here's to many more years of Chris Matthews and the team shaping the dialogue and holding American leaders to account. YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Congratulations, Chris, on 20 years of Hardball. You're such an inspiration, you're so smart. It's an honor to be a guest on your show. ROBERT COSTA: You've contributed so much to American political life, providing junkies like me and millions of others a daily dose of what they crave, a sense of history, a love of politics. JON MEACHAM: No one does it better. No one understands history and the romance of politics better than you do. CHARLIE SYKES: Chris, congratulations on 20 MSNBC and being blessed with being able to talk about this amazing news cycle. CHRIS HAYES: Hey, Chris and the Hardball crew congratulations on 20 years. It is astounding, amazing, impressive and before I started in nightly television and someone told me, oh, you know, this show was celebrated for 20 years, I'm like good for them and I'm like how? How? How did you do it? CHUCK TODD: I sit here and say, “20 years?” Chris, it's more than 20 years, but this is the beauty of you, Chris Matthews is you’re — you're always so youthful, you’re always so energetic that even though you've been doing this for I think 30 years, we've decided it only feels like 20. That's how energetic and youthful you — you have actually changed the space time continuum.