newsweek--2019-02-08--Final Fantasy XIV Cosplayers Talk Bringing Eorzea to Life at Paris Fan Fest 2019

‘Final Fantasy XIV’ Cosplayers Talk Bringing Eorzea to Life at Paris Fan Fest 2019

It’s a drizzly winter Saturday in La Villette, a neighborhood in northeastern Paris with romantic drear seeping from every doorway and windowpane. It seems like the perfect day to wile away the hours in a cafe with strong coffee and a book. But the thousands-strong legion of fans in town to celebrate Square Enix’s long-running MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV have more ambitious plans: plans which demand a steady hand with a soldering iron, an eye that sees creative potential in a length of PVC pipe, and glitter. Lots of glitter.  Final Fantasy XIV was savaged by critics and fans upon its debut in 2010, so Square Enix brought in Naoki Yoshida (then known primarily for his work on the Dragon Quest franchise) as producer and director to help correct course When A Realm Reborn launched in 2013, it was essentially an entirely new game with reworked servers, gameplay and story. Since then FFXIV has been a runaway train, boasting steady subscriber growth and cultivating an ardent fan following. In July, Yoshida and his team will launch the third major expansion to the game since 2013, titled Shadowbringers.  Fan Fest is a thrice-yearly occasion for the game’s robust online community to hang out in person and celebrate all things Final Fantasy. The events take place in North America, Europe and Japan. In addition to elaborate fun-fair amusements inspired by the in-game world of Eorzea—like Chocobo Races and the Bucking Behemoth ride—all Fan Fest 2019 attendees were free to throw their hats in the ring for Saturday afternoon’s cosplay contest. Of the pool of participants, 30 finalists got the chance to show their stuff onstage before a panel of three judges: Yoshida, Global Community Producer Toshio Murouchi and Character Concept Artist Ayumi Namae.  Even if you aren’t an expert on the lore and world of FFXIV, if you’ve seen shows like Project Runway and RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s impossible not to admire the ingenuity and outside-the-box thinking that goes into these remarkable, ensembles. Newsweek spoke to a handful of the competitors about the process of making their creations and the game’s tight-knit community.  Contest winner Faust hails from Russia, and played a Kuribu in elaborate white armor and massive wings. A longtime cosplayer, it took her just two-and-a-half months to construct her ensemble after she was inspired by the initial teaser trailer for the Shadowbringers expansion. "It was my first time making armor, this is my first time making wings... the weapons... everything was the first!" she explained with a laugh.  Others competitors devoted even more time to their projects. Top-three prize winner Calley McCloud from the U.K. spent many late nights over the course of 13 months on her jaw-dropping Firebird cosplay. It uses roughly 3,000 LED lights powered by 17 batteries, and was as intricate to assemble as you’d imagine.  “I was soldering on my kitchen floor at stupid o'clock in the morning,” McCloud explained, pointing out that each wing contains eight soldered joints, allowing them to flap realistically. ‘Some mornings my husband came down and said, ‘What are you still doing up?’ And I said, ‘Don't be a hypocrite, you're supposed to be up for work in the morning.’ Then he said, ‘I'm getting up for work in the morning, It's half-seven.’ I just worked straight through the night!”  While some of the contest participants had years of experience, others did not. But across the board, those we spoke to saw their Fan Fest projects as a chance to try something completely new or strengthen a fledgling skill. McCloud explained she’s only made about “three or four” outfits before the Firebird and described herself as “a complete noob.” Lily, from Little Brittany in France, said she had only been sewing for eight months prior to making her intricately embroidered Astrologian costume. “That sewing machine,” she recalled with a sigh, “programming the thing was quite long.”  Prize-winning cosplay doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive, though many of the ensembles showcased at Fan Fest certainly appeared to be. McCloud said most of her Firebird costume was crafted from “just cheap stuff, most of it came out of a skip.” (Note for our American readers: this is Britspeak for “dumpster.”)  She added, “I like to use recycled materials, so the tail is held up with old curtain poles. The head and the feet are made from newspaper and PVA. The wings are made from a honeycomb material which is like 95p a metre from Fabric Land. That's the thing... I have no money, so I make budget cosplays. I think the most expensive part was all the glitter.”  Beneath the gilding and lavish patterns, however, is a palpable sense of fellowship among the Final Fantasy XIV community. McCloud said finding the franchise through Final Fantasy VIII “saved my life, because it was when I was going through bullying at school. It was a perfect escape.”  Faust explained, “To be honest, I started to play Final Fantasy because of cosplay. Then I thought, I need to play the game I made a cosplay for. So I started to play the game and I really like it. The people are keeping me there, for sure.”  When asked about their tips for cosplay newcomers, nobody recommended a particular online merchant or crafty YouTuber to follow. Instead, they suggested people jump right in with confidence.  “Don’t listen to haters, and push through difficulties. Nothing is impossible when you just believe it strong enough,” said Lily.


rt--2019-07-17--Childfree and easy RT doc meets the Americans swearing off parenthood for good

Childfree and easy? RT doc meets the Americans swearing off parenthood for good

As birth rates plummet in the US, greater numbers of Americans are opting to skip the joys of parenthood – some seeking personal happiness and freedom, others to save a dying planet. In a new film, RTD gave their views a hearing.  The Center for Disease Control has warned that birth and fertility rates in the US are not sufficient for the current generation to replace itself. More and more people are taking the route chosen by Leilani Munter and foregoing passing on their genes altogether.  The passionate environmental activist argues that the world’s rapidly growing population is accelerating every environmental issue the planet faces, so she is choosing not to add to Earth’s woes by abstaining from having children.  “Our species’ survival is truly dependent on us addressing this issue, and if we can’t even talk about it… then we’re in trouble,” she told RTD.  For Mike Pesci, the decision is about reducing the amount of pain and anguish in the world.  “I feel like bringing children into the world is bringing suffering into the world, in a weird way,” Pesci, a dog walker from Longmont, Colorado, explained. “You take things that already need love and give them love, there’s no reason to make something else that you need to give your love to.”  “It’s very convenient to not have kids, too,” he added with a laugh.  to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media won’t tell you.


theindependent--2019-09-21--Being childfree by choice doesnapost make being the only one in my group of friends any less isola

Being childfree by choice doesn't make being the only one in my group of friends any less isolating

If you’re on social media, I’m sure you haven’t missed the recent wave of back-to-school photos. Blazers, shiny shoes, pigtails and bobs.  Each time the obligatory photos are posted, I know it’s not my day for Facebook. I take a step back, and wait for the news feed to balance again. I shall never be the person to add a photo. Instead, I live on the periphery. I hang out on the sidelines, often floating, mute, above conversations, in person and on WhatsApp. I’m the one in my group who isn’t a mum. It can be isolating – especially when it’s your choice.  At 42, I know I don’t want to be a mum. As I’ve seen friends and family have their babies and those babies turn into toddlers and teens, I’ve wondered if that would be something for me, too. But I am sure, now, that it isn’t. And it leaves me as the “non-mum”, surrounded by mums and “mum chat”. There’s a strange feeling of being on the outside, looking in, of knowing the intricate details of being a mum from so many angles, part of the discussion but at the same time, completely left out of it. I am in WhatsApp groups that descend into mum chat despite being called things like “dinner” rather than “NCT”. Recently, I even considered saying “Please @ me when the mum chat’s over!” It felt like I was the child, causing a fuss and being unsupportive.  I’m not alone. There’s a new podcast about being childfree by choice, called Ladies, We Need To Talk, and there’s a new book, Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence by Dr Amy Blackstone, which came out in June. This is less a complaint or demand for things to change, and more a musing on how my choices have affected my position among friends. I cannot join in with the eye-rolls about kids waking you up first thing, or the dismay at having a mum tum (yet I do have a similar body to many mum friends. It leads to jokes about my “booze belly”).  I feel quite foolish, sometimes, like I’m trying to ram a square peg into a round hole, chiming in with sentences such as “My nephew did the same thing!” or showing pictures of him and my niece. I hold them up as a parent would, my only point of reference to this world where we talk about little people all the time. Social events, for me, are often planned around accommodating childcare and it becomes a “girls-only” party because the men will be “babysitting”. Over dinner, the talk usually turns at some point to kids, parenting, the ups and downs. The sighs as they debate everything from nits to smartphone demands and ear piercings.  One day, I’d like to move out of London, find a house in the home counties, or even further afield, and fill it with dogs and very tall houseplants. To try and cement that decision, my partner and I did a day’s recce to the countryside. As estate agents went into every viewing mentioning the local schools, it left us realising that “out of London” is actually “family county” – a place where, because we wouldn’t be in NCT classes or school gate queues, we’d have to find other ways to make new mates.  Celebrity culture and TV shows leave me feeling on the outside, too. From those who coo about motherhood being a feeling like no other, to shows such as Big Little Lies and Deep Water. I loved Big Little Lies but following its opening scene at the school gates, I knew none of the women in it would be “me”. Motherland is a classic, as is Catastrophe, but they’re all centred around parental struggles. I have joined a sitcom writing course in my endeavour to make a change to that one day.  I’m not berating my friends – I know we all lead our lives as we wish, and I love them and their children dearly. But it doesn’t stop me feeling like the odd one out.  And because it’s my choice not to be a mum, I feel I have to keep quiet – after all, I could have chosen to join their gang, right?


thesun--2019-06-29--Ride waves and visit a hippie commune at Cold Hawaii in Northern Denmark

THERE’S no hula dance routine or a flower garland reception – just bracing wind as I step from my car at Cold Hawaii.  In fact, there’s nothing much to suggest how a sleepy fishing town in Jutland, Northern Denmark, got such a tropical nickname — unless you know your waves.  Klitmøller’s reef break reminded intrepid Danish surfers of the waves in the balmy birthplace of their sport. The weather, less so. Hence, Cold Hawaii.  Taking full advantage of the waves is Westwind, a surf school and shop staffed by absurdly chiselled, sun-tanned, blonde instructors.  I’m paired up with Kristine. A confident teacher who speaks perfect English, she helps me catch a few waves, while I whine about feeling seasick in the choppy conditions.  My home for the weekend is Niels Juel, a thatched-roofed fish restaurant and B&B with panoramic sea views and a wood-burning hot tub, run by Jesper and Helle Birch.  “The Cold Hawaii thing is a bit of fun but Klitmøller is Klitmøller not Hawaii. Even the waves aren’t that similar. But the area has its own charms,” says Jesper whose only nod to the Pacific is a car dashboard hula girl and lei necklace behind the bar.  After a mouthwatering seafood platter, Jesper, a friendly face with an easy laugh, cracks open the homemade herbal akvavit.  Birch For Homesickness or Hawthorn For Seasickness — I go for an extra measure of the latter.  Helle hands me some books on the area and one hardback catches my eye. Below the title ‘Thylejren’ in rainbow font stands a but-naked bloke chatting to a man dressed as a sailor.  Turns out surfing wasn’t the first countercultural wave to reach these shores. “You don’t know Thylejren?” Jesper asks. “It’s a nearby hippie commune.”  Thylejren was founded in 1970 by revellers at a music festival who had such a great time that they decided not to leave.  Half a century later and they’re still there.  It’s a half hour cab ride from Niels Juel to the camp. But in Cold Hawaii you don’t Uber, you Book a Biker. Next morning, bang on midday my ride arrives - a mean-looking motorcyclist on a Harley.  But this long-haired hard-man is no Hells Angel, Harald la Cour, is the vice- principal at Klitmøller High School.  In his spare time the 57-year-old runs Book a Biker, taking tourists on motorcycle rides and tours.  Rolling past the dunes and heaths of Thy National Park we pull up in a small clearing in the woods.  Kristian, a social worker, shows me around the camp.  Visitors are welcome for a drink in their bar-cum-meeting hall but he recommends they don’t treat the locals like an Instagram attraction.  The 65-people commune has no cars, acres of outdoor space and homes built from recycled and eco-friendly materials.  Kristian’s handmade house is a hodgepodge of reclaimed wood and windows, where he lives with his pregnant wife and young son.  He won’t let me leave without a small bag of organic “greens”, grown right there in his garden.  My final evening is spent in the market town of Thisted for what must be the world’s most hygge (cosy) music festival.  Organised by a small group of volunteers, Alive Festival is held every August in a small park, with three stages connected by paths lit with fairy lights.  There are comfy seating nooks in which to unwind and vegan burgers and ice cream on the menu.  The artists, especially up and coming London/Copenhagen singer Iris Gold, were unreal.  The locals were so warm I felt I’d made friends with the entire town. Yet despite my best efforts I couldn’t persuade a soul to stay put and set up a hippie camp.  So until next time, it’s Aloha Denmark.


thedailycaller--2019-07-31--Construction Workers Troll Redskins Camp With Cowboys Fandom

Some construction workers decided to have a little fun with the Washington Redskins training camp in Richmond, Virginia, by hanging a huge Dallas Cowboys flag on a nearby building they were working on.  In a couple videos shared by sports anchor Darren Haynes, the flag can be easily seen by players and coaches as both parties are hard at work. Eventually, the flag was taken down, but not before it was noticed by every player at practice. (RELATED: Ezekiel Elliott Reportedly Not On Team Plane Heading To Training Camp)  This is one of the funnier moments NFL fans have seen throughout training camp. I remember a couple years ago a Cowboys banner flew over a Philadelphia Eagles practice, which had Eagles fans ready for war.  This troll job is well done, and I fully support the workers’ decision to make their fandom known throughout Redskins camp. However, Redskins players were not too happy with what they were seeing miles away from camp.  This is exactly what makes sports great. Rivalries are not only between players, but also between the fans. I like to imagine the workers came up with this plan the day before and went home to find the flag in a basement somewhere.  I hope the Redskins didn’t make them take it down. Although, the team’s owner is Dan Snyder and I’m sure the flag didn’t make him the happiest person on the planet.


thedenverpost--2019-03-21--Ask Amy Parent worries about sons Michael Jackson fandom

Ask Amy: Parent worries about son’s Michael Jackson fandom

Dear Amy: My 7-year-old son has recently discovered Michael Jackson. I am having a hard time with it. With allegations Michael Jackson of child molestations, it’s hard to constantly hear his music being played by my child.  My son’s interest is at the point where for his recent birthday friends and family bought him a record, an MJ patch to wear on his jacket and a white bedazzled glove.  My son has definitely received lots of instruction about “stranger danger” and such, but do I tell him his musical idol would potentially be a grownup that might want to harm him?  If I told him he simply wasn’t allowed to listen anymore, he would want some kind of explanation. Or do we simply wait this out until it passes and have a difficult conversation when he’s older?  For the record, Amy, I believe the accusers, which makes this all especially hard.  What is your advice?  Dear Concerned: On one hand, no parent should quash their own instincts in order to let something slide.  However, I do NOT think you should actively discourage your son from listening to Michael Jackson’s music.  Parents who discover that their children are playing games featuring pretend weapons or other violence (either via video or in real life) must explain that real guns really hurt people.  And so it is with this musical genius and icon (and many other icons). This real person hurt children.  If you find the right moment, you should say to your son, “Michael Jackson was an amazing performer! But I want you to know that he also hurt some children when he was a grownup. My job is to try to always tell you the truth about things. So you can listen to his music and love his music, but I want you to know this about him.”  Your son might be interested in becoming a musician or dancer. Make sure he sees footage of young Michael performing with the Jackson Five.  And also introduce him to appropriate selections of the work of other artists like Beyonce, Usher, Justin Timberlake, the Backstreet Boys, Prince, Bruno Mars, vintage Justin Bieber, and of course, Janet Jackson. Many of these performers also started their musical careers as children — and this idea might appeal to your son. He might enjoy watching the G-rated fan film about Bieber’s career, “Never Say Never,” which features clips of the singer as a tiny talent, busking on the street corner.  I don’t assume that any artists are angels (Sinatra, anyone?), but because Jackson has been accused of crimes against children, his legacy carries a unique challenge for fans.  Dear Amy: Every year, I try to give up something for Lent. This year I’m attempting to give up alcohol, but I’m really nervous that I won’t be able to do it. I’m not a heavy drinker by any stretch but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if I can give up that nightly glass, or two, of wine.  I’ve never tried this before. Do you have any words of wisdom for how to succeed?  Dear Tippler: Many people choose to give up alcohol, either during the Lenten season, or just after Christmas (“Dry January” — it’s a thing!). For one thing, it helps to “check” your consumption, and also leads many people to lose weight from eliminating alcohol’s empty calories.  There are also spiritual benefits to going without. Your fear is exactly why you should embrace the challenge.  Just as you consume alcohol every day, you will have to choose to give it up — every day. The mantra “one day at a time” was never so useful.  If you are able to break this up into daily stages, your daily successes will build upon one another. Research shows it takes about a month to break a habit. Succeeding at this could lead to other benefits for you.  Dear Amy: I do believe that your advice is usually sound and that you write well. However, when you printed a letter from a whiner who complained that an elderly neighbor “posted a radical, right-wing political ad on her Facebook page,” you stepped into dangerous territory.  It was not at all necessary for you to include the words “right-wing” in this put-down of this old lady.  Amy, you either made an honest and dumb mistake or … you are a looney leftist!  Dear John: I don’t generally excise or change the words people use when they write to me, including yours.


theguardianuk--2019-05-30--Drakes Toronto superfandom annoying ludicrous and completely understandable

Drake's Toronto superfandom: annoying, ludicrous and completely understandable

To get the most obvious controversy out of the way first, the debate over whether Drake – Toronto’s resident superfan, troll, motivator and occasional masseur – is annoying or not is not really much of a debate at all. Of course Drake is annoying. Whether flailing his arms about in celebration of the most humdrum layup, counter-productively trash talking Players You Should Not Piss Off like Kevin Durant or Draymond Green, rubbing down Nick Nurse’s neck, deploying his burgeoning dadbod for yet another sideline staredown of an opponent – eyes ablaze, veins popping, hoodie rippling like a man ready to do everything in a bar fight except actually fight it – or just generally getting in the way and not shutting up, Drake has exploited every avenue possible to make the story of this exceptional Raptors postseason about him rather than the team.  We’ve come a long way since the days of Jack Nicholson in his shades at the Great Western Forum, grinning conspiratorially from the stands to the rhythms of Showtime with Magic and Kareem. Today’s celebrity fan is an authentic superdork, the type of person who does not simply want to appreciate great feats of athleticism from a respectful distance but be right there in the thick of things, firing the troops up, goading the enemy, living the highs, suffering together through the lows. It’s clear that Drake considers himself as much a part of the team as Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam or Kawhi Leonard. But which one of us, in his place, wouldn’t do the same? To be a fan is ridiculous; Drake’s crime is not really to be annoying at all, but to live the ridiculousness with more conviction than any of us.  It makes good sense for NBA franchises to give superfans like Drake a stage to perform on during home games: more than in other US sports, home-court advantage makes a significant difference to basketball teams’ fortunes, especially in the postseason. The Raptors’ superior regular-season record means they will host Game 7 in these finals, should the best-of-seven-games series make it that far, but the difference between the two teams was just one game: 58-24 for the Raptors v 57-25 for the Warriors. Who’s to say having Drake courtside for most of those games, pumping his arms like an inflatable tube man at a car wash while those nearby offered only tepid applause, was not the difference that allowed a promising but untested Raptors outfit to squeak the extra victory that gives them the edge in the championship round? Meanwhile the Warriors were able to call on the support of noted superfan Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services. If the Raptors deserve to win this ring on no other basis, it’s for having a celebrity fan who at least meets the threshold of being a celebrity.  Celebrity fans in the NBA have become more than mere annoyances or background furniture: however implausible it might sound, they’re now part of the league’s heritage, an important link to its past. For the first half-decade following its 1976 merger with the ABA, the NBA still had something like the look and feel of college basketball; a one-paced, try-your-best spirit pervaded most games, even in the playoffs. (If you don’t believe me, watch Game 7 of the 1978 finals.) It wasn’t until the 1980s that the NBA developed into the league we know today. As much as the three-point rule, slam dunk contests, Dr J’s finger rolls, Magic Johnson’s “junior, junior skyhook” or any of the other rule innovations and advances in individual on-court trickery that defined the 80s, it was the marriage between the entertainment industry and basketball that turned the NBA into the league we know today. Arguably it was just as much for the camera panning across Hollywood celebrities in the stands at The Forum – Nicholson, Arsenio Hall, Billy Crystal – as the on-court wizardry of Magic and co that the 80s Lakers earned the Showtime moniker. As long as they were rich and famous enough to warrant media attention, the fans became part of the folklore of every club. Not for nothing did ESPN’s 2017 documentary on the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the decade employ celebrity supporters, rather than former players, as narrators: Ice Cube for the Lakers, Donnie Wahlberg for the Celtics.  At this point we might lament the role of celebrities in feeding the NBA into the maw of Hollywood, turning it in the process into a pure entertainment product. But every pro sport in the US, of course, eventually went the same way, and the decades between the NBA’s Showtime revolution of the 80s and today have given us plenty of occasions to enjoy the spectacle of celebrities making asses of themselves on the basketball court. Kid Rock getting booed by the fans of his own Detroit Pistons, Knicks superfan Spike Lee talking smack at Reggie Miller during the 1994 Eastern Conference finals then watching the Pacers guard post 25 points in one quarter, Kevin Hart following suit with similar results against James Harden two decades later: bad celebrity fan interventions are as much a part of the NBA’s history now as freak shots drained in the clutch. So: some caution on Drake’s courtside lunacy is warranted. It could all backfire yet.  In Toronto’s case Drake’s fandom serves another purpose, however. Raptors president Masai Ujiri’s risky player dealings have, improbably, handed a new, aesthetic dimension to Drake’s fandom this season that makes it somehow more palatable than in seasons past. This Toronto team is led by perhaps the NBA’s most accidentally Canadian player ever, if Canadian is understood to mean agreeable, unflappable, down-to-earth. There’s something brilliantly undemonstrative about Kawhi Leonard, who barely raised a shout after his already legendary Game 7 buzzer-beater against Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semi-finals and remained essentially unmoved in the moments after he secured the Raptors their first-ever finals appearance with victory in Game 6 against the Bucks. While Lowry and even seen-it-all-before veterans like Marc Gasol pogoed around the floor of Scotiabank Arena, Leonard moved through the throng with the expressionlessness of a conveyancing attorney who’d just completed an investigation of title.  The contrast between Leonard’s deadpan – all business and brutal decisiveness – and the hopping, chew-the-mouthguard hyperactivity of Steph Curry and Draymond Green will be one of the great spectacles of these finals. But the enduring image of this Raptors season, whatever its outcome, will be between the player who appears to feel nothing and the fan who feels it all. Drake’s front-row buffoonery seems way more understandable once you consider that he’s essentially emoting for two people – himself and Leonard – at the same time. Besides, true sporting genius is as much about gestures withdrawn as gestures made; it’s about efficiency, resisting maximalism, having the courage to do less when others are doing more. Between Kawhi’s utter lack of emotion at his own ability and the spectacle of a rich thirtysomething idiot convulsing in paroxysms of joy on the sideline at his every movement, even the neutral can begin to appreciate how truly exceptional this master of basketballing cool is.


theindependent--2019-04-23--Why thereaposs still hope for the Star Wars fandom yet

Why there's still hope for the Star Wars fandom yet

If we’re to believe that the Star Wars fandom is at war with itself, then this year’s Start Wars Celebration marked a battle won. Kelly Marie Tran, who had faced months of racist and sexist abuse online following her role as Rose Tico in 2017’s The Last Jedi, was given a rapturous reception on taking the stage at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. At the world’s biggest Star Wars convention, attended only by the most dedicated of fans, she was embraced with an open and loving heart. “Kelly! Kelly! Kelly!” they chanted, rising to a standing ovation. She cried. I cried. It seemed like most of the auditorium cried.  It was the unexpected highlight of the panel for The Rise of Skywalker, which says a lot considering it coincided with the surprise return of a certain Sith Lord. But Tran’s reception was not only heartening, it was a moment of pure relief for so many fans of the franchise, worried that the well had finally been poisoned beyond relief. Tran is far from the first cast member to receive abuse. Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, deleted her Instagram account in 2016, while the cast of the prequel trilogy have shared their own distressing experiences. Jake Lloyd was bullied for his role as a young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, which in turn dissuaded him from pursuing an acting career, while Ahmed Best has spoken of the hostility meted out to his character Jar Jar Binks and how it reached a point where the actor considered suicide.  Yet, when Tran was cast as the first leading woman of colour in the film series, a dam somewhere burst. The internet had not only allowed the ugliest bigotry to fester, but it encouraged it to mobilise like a military unit. Tan quit social media, returning to the public eye several months later with a moving opinion piece about her struggles. “I want to live in a world where people of all races, religions, socioeconomic classes, sexual orientations, gender identities and abilities are seen as what they have always been: human beings,” she wrote in The New York Times. It was a pain shared by so many Star Wars fans, who felt like the thing they loved most in the world had become a weapon of destruction. Maybe it was time to abandon ship.  As I touched down in Chicago for this year’s celebration, I admit that I was hesitant. There was a real fear that what I had seen online would now be something I had to confront in person. After all, I’d been angrily told by many a faceless Twitter account, that Disney’s “leftist agenda” had killed Star Wars in cold blood and left its body to be picked clean by vultures. Well, if that section of the supposed fandom did turn up, they managed to keep awfully quiet. All I saw was the standing ovation for Tran, as director JJ Abrams told the crowd: “I was grateful to Rian Johnson for so many things he did in Episode VIII [The Last Jedi]. And the greatest for me was casting Kelly Marie.” I saw Best, too, receive the same enthusiastic reception during a panel celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Phantom Menace.  Whatever small pockets of ugliness may have made their presence, all I experienced over the course of the four-day convention was joy, love, and genuine inclusivity. Ridley giggled as the whole audience sang “Happy Birthday” to her. Oscar Isaac and John Boyega playfully teased a romance between Poe Dameron and Finn, in full knowledge of how desperately fans have wanted to see the two together since their debut in The Force Awakens. Lucasfilm’s real test, of course, is whether they actually follow through with introducing that much-needed LGBT+ representation in the Star Wars universe. Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal, who fronts the first live-action Star Wars TV series, The Mandalorian, soaked up the atmosphere with the wide-eyed wonder of a child at Christmas.  Ashley Eckstein, who voices Ahsoka Tano on the animated shows The Clone Wars and Rebels, burst into tears when recounting the story of a young fan diagnosed with cancer. She hosted a panel on the Saturday named Sisters of the Force, which celebrated the franchise’s female characters and their inspiring effect on fans of all ages, regardless of gender. Before the panel kicked off, however, every attendee in the 6,000-seat arena who was dressed as a female Star Wars character was invited to the stage for a group picture. They could barely fit everyone on stage. Almost every Star Wars character under the sun was represented, and I spent a lot of time in awe at how perfect all those who’d turned up as Enfys Nest (the pirate leader from Solo) looked. How they walked around in that fur and giant helmet all day, I’ll never know.  What struck me most about this year’s celebration, in light of all that the fandom has been through, is how people found their own kinds of joy at this convention. The best moments were sometimes the smallest ones: two children dressed as Kylo Ren and a Praetorian Guard giddily reenacting the Throne Room scene from The Last Jedi; passing a beaming elderly woman taking pictures of her husband dressed in Jedi robes. I’ve read about at least two engagements having taken place.  The convention’s official store released a commemorative T-shirt for the event emblazoned with the words: “Star Wars is for everyone.” The sentiment doesn’t always ring true, but if there’s one thing I took away from this sprawling gathering of fans, arriving from all corners of the globe, it’s that there’s still hope for this fandom. Funnily enough, I came away from the weekend reminded of a line uttered by Rose Tico herself: “That’s how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, saving what we love.”  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released in UK cinemas on 19 December


theverge--2019-11-06--Tumblr is launching a new group messaging feature built with fandoms in mind

Tumblr is launching a new group messaging feature that will allow different fandoms on the site to chat more easily with each other instead of replying on re-blogs.  The “group chats” are public spaces, meaning that anyone can find and read them, though only approved members can send messages. People should notice a new group chat icon in the upper right-hand corner of Tumblr’s app starting today.  Group chats aren’t meant for private DM sessions with Tumblr pals. The idea is to give people in niche communities a chance to create dedicated spaces to talk about their interests that are more immediate and interactive than simply re-blogging someone else’s post. Whether it’s memes or therapy or BoJack Horseman, this allows a larger body of people to find a hub where they can talk about their favorite thing.  There are some essential differences between Tumblr group chats and similar features like Facebook groups. Messages within the group chats disappear after 24 hours, and there’s a maximum occupancy of 100 people. Although any group chat is discoverable via search, people have to request permission to join. Non-members can preview what the group chat looks like, but they can’t actively participate in any conversation without being given permission.  Tumblr product manager Scott Oltrogge told The Verge that user safety was a top priority for the team when they started exploring the idea. Full control over chat membership is given to the group owner. All members of the group have the ability to report users who may use hateful or abusive language, but only the group owner can kick a person out.  “I can remove messages, and I can remove users as I see fit,” Oltrogge said. “If I wanted to remove that user’s message, I can if it was inappropriate. I can also remove that user completely if they’re not behaving in the way I want.”  In an effort to ensure that disturbing material isn’t shared within the groups, Tumblr also won’t allow users to upload their own media. That includes photos and GIFs. They can use the GIF options built into Tumblr within the group chats, but that’s it. Tumblr isn’t instituting any new privacy or usage policies around group chats, but Oltrogge reiterated that people must be 13 years old to use the site, and sharing adult content isn’t allowed.  There isn’t any way to make the group chats private, Oltrogge said. The team’s goal was to make “really open and community focused experiences,” he added. If people want to have private one-on-one conversations, they can still initiate those via Tumblr’s direct messaging feature.


birminghammail--2019-02-03--UKs biggest clown convention arrives in Birmingham

UK's 'biggest clown convention' arrives in Birmingham

Thirty of the world's leading clowns are flying in to Birmingham for an event billed as ‘the UK’s biggest clown convention’.  With the clowns arriving jet-lagged from places as far afield as Canada, Texas, New Zealand and Denmark, they’ll all be hoping there won’t be any comedy cock-ups at the airport.  Red noses and big shoes in their cases are a given.  But nobody in the trade has forgotten how Pc Konk (David Vaughan) was once stripped to his undies after setting off security-check alarms at Birmingham Airport.  Even after 25 years in the industry, staff made him take his top clothes off after a metal clasp in his costume sparked an alert.  The entertainer from Shard End knew the game was up when he had to surrender a pair of plastic handcuffs before being allowed to accompany 100 disadvantaged children on a flight run by Variety Club Midlands.  David said at the time in 2008: “I showed them my police-clown identity card, which had my picture next to the my credentials as a member of the Criminal Insane Department, but I don’t think that really helped!  “My plastic scissors and camera got through fine, as did my funny glasses and bubble machine, but then they discovered my plastic toy handcuffs. I told them I had bought them from the Early Learning Centre especially for the trip but they still said they were a risk."  Today, the clown convention organisers reckon their members are so skilled they could even “solve Brexit in two minutes.”  And less than three days after meeting up for the first time, they will also stage a free, impromptu show for members of the public.  The convention – officially called CGUK2019 – has always been held in Lowestoft before, the home of its founder, Andy The Clown (Andrew Davis).  But this year it is moving to the Austin Sports Club in Longbridge from February 4-9 after leading ventriloquists gathered there in September, 2017 - you can see how that went in our video above.  Andrew is a ‘signing clown’ because of his ability to entertain deaf children.  He has sent a reminder to all members to pack their instruments, otherwise they won’t have a ‘clown orchestra’, as well as any props they want to sell or to swap.  Close to a Premier Inn for accommodation, the centre itself is just the right size for rehearsing either on the stage or dance floor.  The location is perfect too – it’s next to Longbridge Railway Station with easy access to New Street Railways Station and Birmingham Airport as well as major roads including the M42 and M5 motorways.  After 50 ventriloquists had a great time here 18 months ago during Ventarama, Tamworth clown Rob Bowker (Bibbledy Bob) persuaded Andy The Clown to move his clown convention to the Austin.  Rob, whose work ranges from corporate events to children’s parties, said: “It’s all about some of the world’s best clowns coming together and working up new skills.  “By Wednesday we’ll have a show ready that’s full of new material.  “We’ll solve Brexit and knock it out of the park in two minutes.”  Rob is the ‘European and African director’ of The World Clown Association and the UK press officer for Clowns International, the oldest group in the UK.  “Clowns don’t worry about money – we worry about happiness,” he said.  “We entertain children in orphanages in some of the poorest countries in the world.  “But, yes, there are sometimes the ‘tears of a clown’.  “You have that high with the adoration, and then the low. Tommy Cooper used to suffer from it.  “Footballers get it as well.  “A lot of my friends all have normal jobs.  "So when I’m at home they’re working and vice versa.  “People who work as clowns do have to give a lot of themselves.”  The word for people who suffer from a fear of clowns is coulrophobia.  But, while it can be pronounced in sufferers, Rob says it well down the list of normal fears.  A website called Fear Of lists it No 88, way behind the top three favourites of spiders, snakes and heights.  Even the fear of death is only at No 12, while butterflies are at 43, sharks at 54, dolls at 58, beards at 74 and belly buttons at 75.  If you have always wanted to become a clown and would like to learn more, visit the CGUK2019 Facebook page here for more details here or email cguk2019@andytheclown.co.uk


dailyheraldchicago--2019-08-09--Anime convention comes to Schaumburg Aug 16-18

Anime convention comes to Schaumburg Aug. 16-18

A new three-day anime convention called "Anime Magic" will run from Friday, Aug. 16, through Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, 1800 E. Golf Road in Schaumburg.  Organizers promise a convention by fans, for fans, that will include but go beyond the events and activities normally expected at an anime convention.  The cost of a three-day full weekend pass is $49.99 while a VIP Magic Pass is $99.99. One-day passes cost $39.99 for Friday, $44.99 for Saturday and $34.99 for Sunday.  For more information and to buy passes, visit the event's website at animemagic.org.


drudgereport--2019-04-17--Reality TV comes of age with its own fan convention

Reality TV comes of age with its own fan convention...

LOS ANGELES, April 16 (Reuters) - From gossipy housewives to lovelorn bachelors and lip-syncing drag queens, reality television is getting its own fan event.  Youth channel MTV on Tuesday announced it would host the first reality television convention, where fans and some of the people made famous by shows like "Jersey Shore," "The Real Housewives" and "The Bachelor" will come together to celebrate the genre.  MTV, whose "The Real World" is credited with launching the modern trend for reality television in 1992, said that the RealityCon event would take place in the summer of 2020.  It will feature performances, interviews and discussions with stars and producers behind some of reality television's most popular series across TV networks, including "Survivor," "Big Brother", "The Hills" and "RuPaul's Drag Race."  Reality television exploded in the early 2000s when shows like "American Idol," "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "Survivor" became some of the most-watched content on U.S. television.  These shows have also become a driving force in pop culture by increasing ethnic and sexual diversity and breaking formerly taboo topics by casting unknown people from all walks of life. "The Real World" in 1994 was the first to feature an openly gay man with HIV/AIDS on television in its series about a group of young adults living together in the same house in San Francisco.  MTV said it would announce dates and more details about RealityCon at a later stage.  Comic books and movies like "Star Wars" have held fan conventions around the world for years, often using them as the launching ground for upcoming films, games, television shows and merchandising. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


eveningstandard--2019-05-14--Europeaposs biggest Sneakerhead convention is coming to London this weekend

Europe's biggest Sneakerhead convention is coming to London this weekend

Don’t believe me? Head down to South East London’s iconic Printworks warehouse this weekend where you’ll see 5000 sneakerheads and hypebeasts queuing to get into ‘Sneakerness,’ the UK outpost of Europe’s largest sneaker convention.  Hitting UK shores for the second time, Sneakerness was launched 10 years ago in Switzerland by a group of sneaker enthusiasts, and has since spread across 9 European cities, from Amsterdam to Zurich and Cologne.  Sneaker enthusiasts hitting Printworks this weekend will be shown the latest trends and exclusive rarities from the sneaker scene from a mix of the world’s leading brands and major sneaker stores. Alongside, private sellers and collectors from all over Europe will converge to buy, sell and swap footwear and street fashion apparel. There’ll also be the opportunity to shop exclusive prototypes, bargain for rare samples or get inspired by vintage designs and silhouettes.  “Sneakers have become the centre of the fashion world, evolving into an indispensable accessory thanks to high and street fashion collaborations with icons such as Kanye West, Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones,” says Sergio Muster, co-founder of Sneakerness. “These elevated releases have shifted sneaker collectors shopping habits. 10 years ago it was about having your favourite model in all sorts of colour ways, now the sneaker lover has fewer pairs in their collection, however the pairs they do have are more exclusive and expensive.”  The Tom Sachs x NikeLab Mars Yard 2.0 is, according to Muster, set to be the most sought after sneaker across the two days, with demand for collaborative product from Kanye West and Virgil Abloh still at a high.  Sneakerness’ official partner, StockX, will present its popular Drop-Off concept, which offers StockX resellers the opportunity to drop off sneakers which they have already sold on the platform for on-site authentication and payout. StockX will also showcase a selection of rare early Nike ACG releases, curated by Archive DNA and styled by Nick Glackin.  Footlocker will host a large artistic installation featuring sneakers made of Lego and an exclusive kids area featuring hype release inflatables for the next generation of sneakerheads to play with.  The Swatch booth will allow guests to create one-of-a-kind watch designs, with Havana Club providing drinks and Luke’s Barbershop offering fresh shape-ups.  On top of that, visitors can explore a rich program of sneaker culture panel talks, 5-a-side football tournaments, DJ sets, treasure hunts, premium sneaker cleaning and meet OGs from the community.  Can you kick it? Yes, you can.  Sneakerness London runs from May 18-19. Opening Hours are 12.00 -18.00. Tickets start at £10.


thesun--2019-05-20--The Game of Thrones 2019 convention is coming to the UK but when is it and how much are tickets

The Game of Thrones 2019 convention is coming to the UK – but when is it and how much are tickets?

Jon Snow fans will get to experience a taste of the Seven Kingdoms for themselves as ThronesCon has announced a Game of Thrones convention is coming the UK later this year.  The convention will offer the GoT fandom a chance to get up close and personal with some of their favourite stars - but where will it be held and how can you make sure you're there? Here's the lowdown on the one-day event...  The convention will take place at The Printworks in Manchester on Sunday August 18.  Tickets are on sale for £16.50 and can be purchased from the ThronesCon website - with limited early bird tickets.  The event is being organised by the same team behind the popular Harry Potter gathering DiagCon.  DiagCon organiser Carl Whiteley told Manchester Evening News: “We’re really excited about this Game of Thrones fan convention, we already know it’s going to be an amazing weekend!  "We were really pleased to see everyone get on board with the Harry Potter fan convention, therefore, we knew we’d be onto a winner with Game of Thrones.”  Fred Booth, centre director of The Printworks, added: “Following the success of the Harry Potter announcement this promises to be a hugely popular convention and we are thrilled to be hosting it here at The Printworks."  You can buy your ticket by clicking here.  The convention will see The Printworks transformed into Westeros for one day only.  White Walkers, hardened northerners and residents of Kings Landing are expected to roam around the set, as well as some famous faces.  Lancel Lannister (Eugene Simon), Sir Barristain Selmy (Ian McElhinney) and Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) are confirmed to appear at the event.  More actors from the TV show are due to be announced later this month and special effects and make-up artists will also be there.  Fans can go to autograph and Q&A sessions with the stars and a medieval market will be erected.  Cosplayers will also be able encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters.


thedailyrecord--2019-06-27--Rutherglen comic book artist set for major convention this weekend in Glasgow

A famous Rutherglen comic book artist will be quick on the draw this weekend when he appears at a major comic convention.  Vin Deighan, who draws under the pen name Frank Quitely, will be a star guest at this year’s Glasgow Comic Con on Saturday, speaking to fans and selling sketches and drawings.  The artist, who has illustrated the likes of Superman, Batman and the X-Men in a lengthy career, will be joined by a host of other comics talent at the bash held at the Royal Concert Hall.  He told the Reformer that the good atmosphere of the Glasgow show, now in its ninth year, ensured he was keen to appear at it.  Vin, who lives in Cathkin, said: “It was actually this Glasgow con that got me back into attending shows, both as a guest and as a punter.  “The general atmosphere is really positive. It’s not like a sporting event where there’s a sense of rivalry because everyone’s in it together, and it’s not like a music event where everyone’s just watching the stage and not really engaging with each other – it’s actually got a sense of community and camaraderie, and you can get really involved with the demos and workshops and talks or if you prefer you can just stroll around taking it all in quietly.  “It’s a nice way to spend a few hours.”  Other guests include Spider-Man writer Chip Zdarsky, Transformers artist Nick Roche and Batman and Black Panther illustrator Brain Stelfreeze, while Burnside comic book writer John Lees will also be on hand.  Other activities planned include a cosplay competition, a kids zone and plenty of traders selling comics and other merchandise.  Away from the con and Vin is focusing on new projects, but not with industry giants Marvel and DC Comics.  He added: “I’m doing some new work that’s all mine – writing, drawing, colouring, and I’ve got a couple of exciting collaborations coming up in the foreseeable future too. I love collaborating, but it’s also good to be writing my own stories again.  “I always used to write my own stuff years ago when I started out, then I spent a few decades working with writers who really know what they’re doing and I learned a lot from that, and now I feel better equipped to be handling both aspects of the story-telling, the writing and the art.”  He has also started a new project with comic store Forbidden Planet.  He explained: “They’re opening a huge new superstore on Sauchiehall Street which is going to be the biggest comic and pop culture shop in the UK and I’m designing the art for the walls – it’s amazing getting involved in things like this.”  The Glasgow Comic Con takes place this Saturday at the Royal Concert Hall.  Tickets are available from www.glasgowcomiccon.com and the event runs from 10am to 6pm.


thedailybeast--2019-09-06--The Curvy Con Inside the Convention Where Confidence Is Beauty

The Curvy Con: Inside the Convention Where Confidence Is Beauty

For the past several years, while celebrities have flocked to New York Fashion Week, hundreds have turned out for the largest plus-size show during Fashion Week: The CurvyCon. CurvyCon, a three-day convention in New York City, is more than a fashion show; it’s an inspirational retreat where women come together to share body positivity and mental wellness. This year marks the brand’s fifth-anniversary show. Apart from a fashion show, attendees get to participate in a workout session, dance parties, they can shop expanded size ranges from partnering companies and be inspired by a panel of celebrities, bloggers and the event’s co-founders. “Plus-size women being confident isn't a plus-size issue; it's a women's issue,” co-founder CeCe Olisa told The Daily Beast.


thesun--2019-05-21--The Game of Thrones 2019 convention is coming to the UK but when is it and how much are tickets

EXCITED fans will get to experience a taste of the Seven Kingdoms for themselves when the Game of Thrones convention hit the UK late this year.  The convention will offer the GoT fandom a chance to get up close and personal with some of their favourite stars - but where will it be held and how can you make sure you're there? Here's the lowdown on the one-day event...  The convention will take place at The Printworks in Manchester on Sunday August 18.  Tickets are on sale for £16.50 and can be purchased from the ThronesCon website - with limited early bird tickets.  The event is being organised by the same team behind the popular Harry Potter gathering DiagCon.  DiagCon organiser Carl Whiteley told Manchester Evening News: “We’re really excited about this Game of Thrones fan convention, we already know it’s going to be an amazing weekend!  "We were really pleased to see everyone get on board with the Harry Potter fan convention, therefore, we knew we’d be onto a winner with Game of Thrones.”  Fred Booth, centre director of The Printworks, added: “Following the success of the Harry Potter announcement this promises to be a hugely popular convention and we are thrilled to be hosting it here at The Printworks."  You can buy your ticket by clicking here.  The convention will see The Printworks transformed into Westeros for one day only.  White Walkers, hardened northerners and residents of Kings Landing are expected to roam around the set, as well as some famous faces.  Lancel Lannister (Eugene Simon), Sir Barristain Selmy (Ian McElhinney) and Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) are confirmed to appear at the event.  More actors from the TV show are due to be announced later this month and special effects and make-up artists will also be there.  Fans can go to autograph and Q&A sessions with the stars and a medieval market will be erected.  Cosplayers will also be able encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters.


birminghammail--2019-01-28--Hundreds of bikers join funeral cortege in memory of much-loved Michael Flett

Hundreds of bikers were today paying a two-wheeled tribute to one of their big-hearted, charity fundraising comrades.  Michael Flett was a driver of lorries, coaches and the former Big Brum Buz open-top tourist attraction.  Above all, he loved life out on the open road on two wheels.  Everywhere he went, Northfield-based Michael would make friends and put smiles on faces – adding to his ability to raise thousands of pounds for charitable causes.  If he wasn’t dressed as Santa, in his later years he would be carrying a toy chimpanzee to break the ice with sick children.  Youngest son Steven said: “When he had former world motor racing champion Nigel Mansell on board the Big Brum Buz, he was crying with laughter at dad’s sense of humour.  “And Jasper Carrott told him off, saying: ‘Oi, I’m the comedian!’.”  The giant cortege from the family home to Lodge Hill Crematorium was headed by five Midland Freewheelers’ ‘blood bikes’ in honour of the money Michael had raised for the charity.  It was being followed by Michael’s coffin in a Harley-Davidson sidecar so he could "listen to the noise of the bike.”  After wife Christine in a car, the family expected 400 bikers with more trikes, cars and vans behind.  Many of the key mourners had last visited Michael  when he was at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Sunday, December 16.  Steven said: “We told the police about the funeral but at big biker funerals like this they usually let the bikers just get on with stopping the traffic.  “We’ll be celebrating the life of Michael Flett telling stories and the odd jokes. Strange thing to say but we hope everyone enjoys the day and remembers to ask: “What would Sir Michael do?”  So many people were due to attend the funeral, a broadcasting system was provided to relay the service outside of the 150-capacity crematorium.  Steven was giving a speech with a special prop to lighten the spirits of younger family members – Michael had bought a chimpanzee puppet during a return visit to his Dorset birthplace in 2011.  The choice of songs included the middle of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, the intro to The Rolling Stones’ Paint it Black and the outro to Jasper Carrott’s Funky Moped.  The family had 1,000 remembrance photographs printed for mourners.  A wake was held later at BOF (Boring Old Fartz) at Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Club, off Forshaw Heath Lane.  Born in Poole in September, 1943, Michael spent his life steadily working his way north – but stopped at Birmingham.  He later went back south to London, but ended up returning to his first love and city.  Michael spent his childhood in Oxford, married Christine in 1964 and came to Birmingham in 1966.  The couple divorced after 14 years, but after he’d gone to London they remarried 14 year later and enjoyed almost another 25 years together after remarrying in 1994.  Still actively fundraising last summer, Michael was diagnosed with terminal cancer on December 24, 2018.  Given three to six months to live, he died aged 75 on eldest son Gary’s birthday – January 10, 2019.  He is survived by Gary, a second son, Steven, and his wife, Christine, 71.  Steven said: “Me and Gary are like two different people like Laurel & Hardy. I’m the thin one.”  Son Steven said today: “Dad learned to drive (trucks) in the Army and was known as ‘the master of the roads’.  “He knew all the backroads of London and nobody could get across the city faster.  “Companies he worked for included LEP International and Mereway, delivering top-end kitchens for John Lewis until he had back problems.  “He then joined Kings Norton Coaches, which is actually based in Halesowen.  “From there, he became the driver for the Big Brum Buz open-top bus tours.”  Steven runs a one-to-one IT help business in Wales called I’m Stuck, helping out older people and the disabled to enjoy a life online at home.  “If anybody has any ten-second clips of the funeral I will be happy to receive it for a film I am making of it,” he said.  Steven said: “Dad was born a character, he never became a character.  “When people retire they usually slow down, but dad sped up and lived life to the full.  “He had four bikes including a Harley-Davidson he had long coveted.  “He bought it two years ago second hand from a company in Halesowen but it had a duff engine and he made them supply a new engine.  “They always say if you get a Harley, you need AA cover and so it proved.  “He also had a trike which I am going to use for charity events.  “Gary is a biker, but I’m a cyclist, so this is the year I’m going to discover biking – after first driving the trike 125 miles back to where I live in Wales.  “You would think they would be easy to drive like a car, but they are very different.”  Sue Behan, who used to run the Big Brum Buz, added: “Michael was the most wonderful, kind, helpful man.  “He was my No. 1 driver, very loyal and someone who loved Birmingham’s history.  “Michael loved being a biker and was an absolutely amazing charity fundraiser.”  The family has asked for no flowers but donations can be made to The Animal House Rescue.  A special Facebook page for tributes has been set up at this link here and for more information about Michael Flett’s life with videos, visit this page here  For details about the work of ‘blood bikes’ run by Midland Freewheelers’ emergency rider voluntary service to ‘help the NHS to help you’ visit the website here or call 0300 1024 999.


breitbart--2019-12-02--Hundreds of Bikers Deliver Toys, Surprise Visits to Kids Battling Cancer

Hundreds of bikers in Moore, Oklahoma, handed out Christmas cheer Sunday to children battling cancer.  “For most of the kids, it’s a big surprise. And it’s a really emotional experience to go on the ride, so it has a pretty profound impact on both the families and the riders,” said Darrin Bayman, general manager of the Fort Thunder Harley-Davidson dealer.  Sunday, the leather-clad bikers filed out of the dealership parking lot on their way to deliver toys to children in Oklahoma City, Moore, and Norman, according to the Norman Transcript.  The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral (OKK) Toy Ride has been an annual event for the dealership for the past few years, and each year the ride adds more participants.  “It’s wonderful because it’s so visible,” said Keith. “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and when you’re coming through with all the police force, the law enforcement, the loud bikes and Santa Claus, everybody sees it. They know, and it keeps what we’re doing on people’s minds.”  This year, the ride brought gifts to six children with cancer and surprise visits to the OK Kids Korral, where families of children battling cancer can stay during their treatment.  OK Kids Korral helps make life a little easier for children with cancer by providing a safe, convenient, and hopeful place for families to connect with each other and focus on the well-being of their child. OK Kids Korral provides daytime and overnight lodging for pediatric patients and their families. The state of the art facilities at OK Kids Korral are designed to create a relaxing haven for the entire family.  For the past few years, OKK and Fort Thunder have partnered with the Moore Fire Department to collect donations for the department’s annual Santa Express program.  Assistant Fire Marshall Darren Sigmen said every year, the Santa Express provides gifts and essentials to about 600 children living in Moore.  “It’s a very big impact — it helps these families that can’t help themselves, that may have somebody missing a parent, somebody may have cancer, the kids may be sick — you never know what is happening in their family,” he stated.  Bayman said for many of the bikers, this is not their first year to participate.  “Most of the riders that are here, once they’ve gone on the ride once, they typically come back and do it again because it is such an emotional and moving experience.”


observer--2019-03-27--From Hells Angels to Hillels Angels Inside the World of Jewish Bikers

From Hells Angels to Hillel’s Angels: Inside the World of Jewish Bikers

Robert Anthony Siegel grew up around the Hells Angels.  The outlaw motorcycle club, whose members once stomped Hunter S. Thompson, made a big impact on his childhood. Siegel’s father wasn’t a renegade biker. No. His dad, Stanley Siegel, was the criminal defense attorney who represented the infamous biker club.  Yes, it seems odd for a Jewish attorney to represent a motorcycle gang known for adorning themselves with swastikas and other SS regalia.  “I don’t know how my father first connected with the Hells Angels, but he never expressed any misgivings about representing them, or about the Nazi paraphernalia they wore,” said Siegel, who authored the memoir Criminals: My Family’s Life on Both Sides of the Law.  Siegel’s father can be seen in the 1983 documentary Hells Angels Forever—which, upon viewing, feels like a home movie of the renegade motorcycle club, underlying their passion for Harleys, violence and rowdy debauchery—completely outside the norm.  “It’s also true that they got along great with my father, who usually had a chai or Magen David hanging around his neck and was very obviously Jewish,” Siegel continued.  Siegel’s father, who was also representing members of the Jewish Defense League pro bono in the late ’70s, had to have some reservations about being the legal mouthpiece for a club that had a reputation for widespread violence, rambunctious living, crime and drug dealing. The elder Siegel’s work characterized the tightrope that Jewish people have walked inside the world of outlaw biker gangs. But, the Hells Angels respected their defense attorney who got them out of harm’s way.  “And yet how could my father not have had some misgivings, on some level?” expressed Siegel. “I think that’s why he told us such long funny stories about the Angels when he got home. In those stories, the Angels were semi-mythical, humorous, harmless, silly. It was his way of distancing himself and reassuring us, of eliminating any moral taint, any feeling of danger. Ultimately, it was a way of not seeing what we didn’t want to see.”  Siegel recently re-watched the Hells Angels Forever documentary and found that viewing the film as an adult was a powerful corrective. “The casual violence, the racism, the white power talk—it made me sad and ashamed,” he lamented.  As a young Jewish kid growing up in New York in the ’70s, it was nothing out of the norm for Siegel to rub elbows with the Hells Angels. His father even brought him to the Hells Angels Pirate Ball—a 1976 rock concert that featured Jerry Garcia and Bo Diddley, and was situated on the S.S. Dutchess. The Pirate Ball sailed up the Hudson and had nitrous oxide provided by High Times magazine. What could possibly go wrong for an 11-year-old?  “My father disappeared—he was much given to that—and I was left to wander alone, looking for him,” Siegel recalled. “I was freaked out by his absence and spooked by the chaotic adult scene—lots of weird stoned behavior, people making out, people diving from the deck into the Hudson—but the fact that these were Hells Angels didn’t bother me. After all, I saw them as characters in our story.”  The Hells Angels Forever documentary is also a time capsule of Siegel’s father, who passed away a few years ago and always insisted that the swastikas had no meaning beyond shock value.  “Whenever I heard individual Angels talking about the Nazi stuff,” said Siegel, “they tended to skip over the dark history and talk about strength, pride, bravery—as if the SS were a special branch of King Arthur’s court.”  Hells Angels Forever also features Howie Weisbrod, who was not only the vice president of the club, but also a Jewish Hells Angels member.  “I do remember Howie outside the clubhouse,” said Siegel, referring to the New York Hells Angels headquarters at 77 East 3rd Street on the Lower East Side. “He’s the only Jewish Angel I know of.”  In the documentary, Weisbrod a burly, long-haired, mustached biker in dark shades, proudly wears Nazi regalia and says, “This is a SS badge. It’s an original one. And it was a gift from a brother. And what it meant at the time—it was the elite of its corp.”  In a thick New York accent, Weisbrod then dismisses the Hells Angels of having racist tendencies: “You can say we’re fascistic, anti-Semitic or whatever. I guess I’m the proof that we ain’t. Because I’m Jewish and I sure ain’t a fascist and I sure ain’t anti-Semitic because I sure don’t hate myself!”  When pressed about his Jewish upbringing, Weisbrod bluntly stated, “As far as what my religious beliefs are—my religious beliefs are the Hells Angels. That’s my religion, my way of life, my profession. Everything!”  Weisbrod, though, was far from a Jewish boychik role model; a 1994 court document states that he distributed drugs, largely meth and cocaine, to other members of the Hells Angels. He was eventually charged with four counts relating to the sale of methamphetamine and spent 10 years in federal prison on a drugs and weapons conviction.  Rabbi Moshe Schlass is a seasoned photographer. His beatnik past helps him to connect to people of all walks of life—including members of the Hells Angels. Schlass, who’s based in Brooklyn, also lives a portion of his time in Jerusalem. When in Israel, he spends four to five hours a day photographing people at the Western Wall.  In an acclaimed photo, Schlass captured a member of the Swiss chapter of the Hells Angels—wearing his biker colors along with a yarmulke and tefillin, hand on the Western Wall—praying at the Kotel.  “I walked up to him and asked him, ‘What does a Hells Angel pray for?'” Schlass told Observer. “And he answered me in perfect Hebrew, ‘Like any other human being. My parents, my wife and two children—and little for myself.'”  Schlass, a kindly man with a long white beard, who was born in Poland in 1939 and went through the deportation camps, watched the Hells Angels biker fervently praying at the Wall for over half an hour before he approached him. The outlaw biker told Schlass that his name was Yerachmiel, he was born in Israel—and was Jewish.  “This is the first time he’s been to the Kotel, since his bar mitzvah,” Schlass recalled. “I said, ‘Would you like to pray with a pair of tefillin on?’ He said, ‘Of course.’ After he put on the tefillin, he continued to pray for another half an hour.”  And that’s something both orthodox Jews and Hells Angels have in common—a love of leather, be it tefillin or jackets.  A week after their encounter, the Jewish Hells Angel emailed Schlass, asking for the address of a Chabad rabbi in Switzerland. Schlass complied. He feels that it is possible to be a member of the Hells Angel and also still be a good practicing person of faith—but you have to be committed.  “Being a Hells Angel is not a religion; it’s like belonging to something—like macho and tattoos and chains—it’s not necessarily violent, but it’s a social club,” he said. “Maybe while being a Hells Angel, you could keep the Sabbath, and put on tefillin, and become observant… But I don’t think anybody who joins the Hells Angels is concerned about their heritage.”  Regarding his thoughts on the biker he encountered, “He was born Israeli and he was Jewish, but that was the end of it,” said Schlass, who agrees with Weisbrod that being of the Jewish faith doesn’t matter when it comes to being a Hells Angels. “I don’t think they care one way or the other. As long as you’re a Hells Angel, that’s their major concern. Once you become a Hells Angel, it doesn’t matter where you come from… you’re a Hells Angel!”    Sure, sometimes a Swiss member of the Hells Angels gets free tefillin when on home turf, and Howie Weisbrod might’ve rose to the ranks of chapter vice president—but the world of outlaw motorcycle clubs can contain violence, drug dealing and white supremacy. No matter how ironic or cartoony you want to see swastikas and Nazi imagery, that combustible mix can fuel a non-idyllic outcome to the rare Jewish members of a one-percenter (a common term for outlaw motorcycle clubs—because 99 percent of motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens).  Take the Bandidos: a motorcycle club formed in 1966 that goes by the motto, “We are the people our parents warned us about.”  Nothing could be truer.  In 2005, the Bandidos were estimated to have 5,000 members in 210 chapters, located in 22 countries. But things went hellishly wrong for the Toronto chapter when meth trafficking and use became widespread within the club.  Jamie “Goldberg” Flanz, if he were still alive, could vouch for that. Flanz was a step away from becoming a full member of the Toronto chapter of the Bandidos—but he didn’t fit the typical outlaw biker background.  “His father was a senior partner in a major Montreal law firm. He ran a small computer consulting company north of Toronto. He wasn’t druggy and was polite to women,” said Peter Edwards, author of the book The Bandido Massacre: A True Story of Bikers, Brotherhood and Betrayal. “Flanz had only been a prospect for six months. He was the only Jew in the club.”  According to Edwards, who has also written extensively about the Hells Angels, “Flanz appeared to be the only Jewish outlaw biker in Canada. His nickname came from resemblance to professional wrestler Goldberg.”  It was believed that Flanz, a six-foot burly biker who was 37 at the time, joined the Bandidos after his divorce and thought that the “bad ass” outlaw biker image would make him more attractive to women.  The result was probably the worst outcome of a mid-life crisis.  For a guy from a well-to-do Jewish family, Flanz got caught with some bad hombres. And it didn’t get more bad hombre-ish than Wayne “Weiner” Kellestine—former leader of the Bandidos who once ran a gang called “The Holocaust.”  “Kellestine was a racist and anti-Semite and Nazi-lover,” said Edwards. “Kellestine signed his name with lightning bolts as if he was a Nazi and once cut a swastika into his farm grass with a scythe.”  Needless to say, having a Jewish member of the Bandidos didn’t go over well with Kellestine.  “Most [club members] weren’t so bad, but Kellestine was an absolute nutcase,” explained Edwards. “Most, including Flanz, might act crazy and think it was funny to them, but Kellestine wasn’t acting.”  “Flanz owned a couple of properties and was one of the few—perhaps the only—Bandido who qualified for credit cards,” Edwards continued. “Kellestine and others used one of his properties as if it was their own.”  Flanz realized he was in way over his head when he came home from his part-time job as a bouncer and discovered that his fellow Bandidos had killed a drug dealer in his apartment.  Not yet a full member, and with no criminal record, Flanz was desperate to get promoted to a “full patch.” So, he didn’t report the crime; in fact, he helped his fellow Bandidos clean up the murder scene.  “I think he realized he was in over his head, but that it also seemed a bit unreal,” said Edwards.  What followed on the night of Friday, April 7, 2006, resulted in the worst mass murder in modern Ontario history. Kellestine’s meth-fueled mind devised a plan to wipe out most of his fellow Toronto members and then pin the murders on the rival Hells Angels in an attempt to seize control of the club’s lucrative Canadian methamphetamine trade.  Rabidly anti-Semitic Kellestine hated Franz for being Jewish and accused him of being a police informant. He then lured Franz and seven of his biker brothers to his farmhouse in southwestern Ontario—to discuss the matter.  What actually happened was an ambush.  Kellestine and several other club mates marched their captives out of the barn, one by one. Each was then shot dead at close range. The Ontario Court of Appeal called it a “murder assembly line.”  Flanz, because he was Jewish, was told by Kellestine that he would have to wait until all of the others were executed—so he could suffer the most.  Like a twisted scene out of Reservoir Dogs, between shootings, Kellestine danced a jig and sang “Das Deutschlandlied,” the German national anthem, while pistol-whipping Flanz several times.  Eight bloody bodies were later found in abandoned vehicles.  Flanz’s funeral reflected his good upbringing as a boy from Côte Saint-Luc—the Jewish section of Montreal. It wasn’t a biker funeral with burly guys wearing club colors with hogs parked out front. Instead, 200 people gathered to pay their respects, including Liberal Senator Yoine Goldstein, a family friend and law colleague of Flanz’s father.  “We aren’t members of any of the ‘one-percenter’ gangs, but some of us are members of other groups,” explained Stuart Sorkin, who was part of the Ridin’ Chai Motorcycle Group of Northern California, before moving away from the area. “Our club is affiliated with a national organization in the Jewish Motorcycle Association.”  Far from a band of motorcycle outlaws, the Jewish Motorcycle Association (JMA) was formed in 2004 as an umbrella organization for Jewish motorcycle clubs across the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada and beyond. There even used to be a Hasidic biker club called Rebbe’s Riders—comprised of members of the Brooklyn-based Lubavitch sect—who naturally adopted ZZ Top-style beards.  “As individuals, we share the fundamental passion to ride motorcycles, but we are drawn to each of our own clubs by our common faith and heritage as members of the Jewish faith,” reads JMA’s mission statement.  A distinct feature of JMA motorcycle clubs is the pun-tastic names: Hillel’s Angels, Yidden On Wheels, The Sons of Abraham, Shalom & Chrome, The Chai Riders, and of course, Ridin’ Chai.  “We have a patch and a catch-phrase: Shtup It, Let’s Ride,” said Sorkin.  When these bikers of Jewish faith hit the road, they too are recognizable by their club colors—usually a variation of the Star of David and Hebrew scripts, accompanied by some sort of fiery flames, wheels or wings.  “We have laborers, lawyers, doctors, accountants, engineers, salespeople,” Sorkin explained, saying they are also open to bikers of other faiths. “If you ride and liked our ‘style’—and we liked you—you were eligible.”  Ridin’ Chai members, adorning club colors, have even attend the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota—the largest gathering of motorcycle clubs and biker enthusiasts in the country—and have always gotten a warm reception.  “As long as the group doesn’t act in an outlandish manner, we are as accepted as any other group, like the Christian Motorcycle Association, for example,” said Sorkin, which vibes with the viewpoint of the Hells Angels: “Show us respect, you get treated with respect. You act like an asshole, you get treated like an asshole.”  A big difference between Ridin’ Chai and the Hells Angels—most members are bit older; Sorkin has been riding motorcycles for over 50 years. But what clearly separates JMA groups? “[Our club] focuses on a Jewish perspective on life, politics, food,” said Sorkin, noting that motorcycling does come first. But, “Religion comes into play if there is a holiday conflict… Sharing a similar background, conversations are easier and have known references, Yiddish terminology, for example.”  “We are more of a Chavurah focused on friendship and camaraderie, with motorcycles as the thing that brought us together,” explained Steve Marion, founder of the San Diego-based Jewish motorcycle club, Shalom & Chrome, which conducts several clubs rides per month. “We’re all Jews, more or less, but that’s not our focus, it’s just something we generally have in common. Some members are very religious and some are completely secular. Some are conservative and some are liberal. Some like to discuss politics and some won’t consider it.”  Marion says ideology-speaking, members of Shalom & Chrome never come to a consensus on anything, except where to eat lunch.  And, instead of organizing for widespread methamphetamine distribution, or luring members to an ambush in a remote barn, motorcycle clubs that are part of the JMA organize charitable activities that benefit the wider Jewish community, along with the annual Ride to Remember which serves as a fundraising platform for organizations working in Holocaust education.  Because Jews bonding together over a love of motorcycles makes sense. After all, Fonzie on Happy Days was the original Jewish motorcycle outlaw.  Well, more like Henry Winkler, who played the Fonz, is Jewish. But still.


thedailyrecord--2019-01-22--Kind-hearted Craigneuk group members raise cash for talented young bikers

Young members of Craigneuk’s new BMX and mountain bike team will be kitted out in the best of gear thanks to the generosity of one community group.  Craigneuk Community Council members presented a cheque for £500 to Dan Scott from Socialtrack, who helps coach the kids, and the money will help purchase new helmets to keep the bikers safe while they on the track.  Community council chair Margaret Carlin was delighted to help the youngsters and said: “We have been working closely with Dan and Socialtrack for the past four years, trying to get the track started and fundraise for bikes.  “He is always there and keeps the kids under control.  “We were lucky that we ended up with more money than expected this year so it’s an honour to be able to present him with the cheque for the helmets.”  Dan thanked community council members for their support and revealed that the new “Wishaw Warriors” team have been making good progress.


thetorontostar--2019-06-28--Bikers bidding farewell to those killed in pickup collision

PLYMOUTH, Mass. - For the bikers killed in a fiery collision in New Hampshire, their funerals Friday will likely be defined by lots of leather, the rumbling of their favourite bikes and plenty of stories about their days with the Jarheads. Services will be held for Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, New Hampshire, and Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island. Visitation will be also held at a Laconia funeral home for Desma Oakes, 42, who died with her boyfriend in the crash.  They are among seven bikers killed last week when a pickup truck hauling a flatbed trailer crashed into the group in Randolph. The pickup driver, Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to negligent homicide. The Jarheads Motorcycle Club, a group of about 80 bikers and their supporters from communities across New England, served as a second family and a refuge for the members, many who got out of the service but still craved the brotherhood they discovered in the Marines. With a logo that is anchored by the military branch’s bulldog, the group serves as a cross between a charity and a social club. Many chapters are housed in American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.  “Motorcycle clubs, it’s a natural place to gravitate to. Most of us got raw deals, you know, after we got out and it’s nice to be able to help out,” said George Loring, a Jarheads member who came upon the crash scene minutes after the collision. “You know our families come first. That’s number one. God, country, right there. And then the club.” Manny Ribeiro, the Jarheads president, who survived the crash, described a family-oriented group whose members have stuck together through the tragedy and are doing their best to support the victims’ families. The group has received donations from Marines around the globe, and veterans are flying in from as far away as the Netherlands for the funerals.  “Right now, these guys have stepped up ... I have a great bunch of guys. I’m proud of them,” Ribeiro said. “From the accident to what I saw afterward to what I see now, these guys are just amazing. With the anger and heartbreak and everything we suffered up there, these guys remained composed. ... Without these guys, there is not a chance in hell I could handle this.” Ferazzi was a father of four who served as a Plymouth police officer for 34 years. He served in the Marines for four years, including a stint at in security at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Ribeiro remembered Ferazzi as someone who always had a smile, even as recently battled cancer. His funeral will be in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  “He was happy to be with us, and he loved life,” Ribeiro said. “I remember when he came in Friday. He had a big smile on his face. He was leading the pack from New Hampshire. He was just one of those guys who was genuine and funny.” Known as Danny Boy, Pereira joined the Marines after his 18th birthday and, according to his obituary, it was an experience that defined his life. A father of two, Pereira worked for the Narragansett Bay Commission.  Friends said Pereira, active in a gun club and an Italian club, was easygoing and would do anything to help someone in need especially fellow veterans. His funeral will held Friday in Providence, Rhode Island. Oakes, of Concord, who lost her husband and young son in the past decade to lung cancer, was killed in the crash, along with her boyfriend Aaron Perry, 45, of Farmington, New Hampshire, according to the Concord Monitor. Visitation will be held Friday in Laconia for Oakes, followed by a celebration of life Saturday at the Hanover Inn in Hanover. Associated Press writer Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report. This story has been updated to correct the name of an organization to “Veterans of Foreign Wars” instead of “Veterans of Foreign Affairs” and to delete an incorrect reference to the State Diplomatic Security Detachment.


birminghammail--2019-11-06--Fortnite fans go crazy over GAME's free Merry Mint Pickaxe deal

GAME is giving away a £99 in-game Fortnite accessory for one day only.  The Merry Mint Pickaxe is an in-game item that cannot be found within the game itself. Instead it can only be bought separately for the hefty price of £99.  The Christmas-themed pickaxe has been a huge talking point in the Fortnite community after creator Epic revealed they would be given away with Fortnite merchandise for one day only.  That day is now here and the deal will end at midnight on Wednesday 6 November.  For one day only GAME is giving the axe away free with any Fortnite item in-store and online, meaning those who buy a keyring at around £10.99 will be able to get the £99 addition completely free.  You can get the deal here.  Fans of the game and parents of players have flocked to GAME to buy the cheapest Fortnite items on sale including keyrings, POP! Funko figures and Pint Size Heroes in order to get their hands on the voucher code.  A user on the extreme couponing and bargains Facebook group says: "I just got my ordered it yesterday with a 2.99 keyring and done it for collect free in store."  Others have confirmed the codes given away with the merchandise do actually work, with others reporting the item is only being added to online baskets with certain figures on the GAME website.  However, others were not so keen. A user said: "Would anyone actually spend £100 on a virtual game product for a rubbish game? I don't see the point in this."  It seems like the early Christmas gift is not for everybody but Fortnite players should be happy with the one-off accessory.


drudgereport--2019-12-14--'STAR WARS' fans camp outside theater week before film opens...

Star Wars fans wait outside the TCL Chinese Theater one week before the release of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" movie in Hollywood, California on December 12, 2019 (AFP Photo/Mark RALSTON)  Los Angeles (AFP) - Obsessed Star Wars fans with sleeping bags and a portable movie projector have started camping outside Hollywood's Chinese Theatre, more than a week before the blockbuster begins playing.  Roughly 20 sci-fi lovers were in place Thursday, seven days before doors swing open for the first preview screening of the much-hyped, saga-concluding "The Rise of Skywalker."  Organizers expect that number to swell to 150 in the coming days, with fans of all ages traveling from as far as the United Kingdom and Japan to see the movie first at the iconic venue where the original "Star Wars" premiered in 1977.  "When Star Wars comes, you put everything on hold -- it's like having a baby," said mega-fan Nicolas Johnson, waiting with his dog Cookie.  "I'm actually lucky that I'm able to work on the line," added Shing Hwong, a 39-year-old attorney from near San Francisco who has brought her laptop down with her.  "I'm sleeping here overnight and in the evening I just get to hang out with a lot of my friends, and talk and live Star Wars."  The tight-knit community first began lining up outside Star Wars premieres two decades ago for 1999's "The Phantom Menace."  Back then, they waited for 42 days on Hollywood Boulevard. Older and with more commitments now, they decided to trim that down for the latest film -- particularly with this premiere taking place in winter.  "I've got a sleeping bag, at night I have to crawl in there and stay warm," said organizer Erik Murillo, a 47-year-old computer technician from Las Vegas. "I tend to try to stay up at night, awake to watch over everyone else, so I sleep during the daytime."  The group play with board games and LEGO sets, and use their projector to watch the old movies and catch the latest episodes of Star Wars TV series "The Mandalorian."  Murillo admits he is more excited about lining up than the film itself -- he says he has already spoiled its plot by poring over every trailer, interview and fan rumor forum.  "Think of it as a slumber party with friends where everyone has the same interests," said San Diego fashion photographer Justin Nunez, 31, who is on his first Star Wars line.  Nunez has three pairs of long-johns, four sweaters and a sleeping bag for the chilly Los Angeles winter nights.  He is hoping the group will get some relief on Monday when the glitzy, red-carpet world premiere takes place just yards away -- in 2015, Disney invited them in.  "I'm just happy it's not raining," he added.


sputnik--2019-12-13--Photos: Dedicated ‘Star Wars’ Fans Camp Out Days Ahead of Franchise’s New Film

AFP reported Thursday that about 20 fans had set up shop outside the building, fully stocked with air mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, snacks and even a projector to run older “Star Wars” films and the latest episodes of Disney’s “The Mandalorian” series.  Nunez, who has been camped out for the last three days, told AFP that the atmosphere created by fans is similar to a “slumber party with friends where everyone has the same interests.”  Fans told the outlet that aside from watching the older films, the group also breaks out the board games and spends time messing about with a couple of Lego brick sets.  However, this isn’t the first time that fans have carried out such a dedicated act for the films. The “Star Wars” community has lined up for the much-anticipated films since the late 1990s, when “The Phantom Menace,” the first of a set of prequel movies, was released.  “The Rise of Skywalker” will have its red carpet world premiere on Monday at the Chinese Theatre, where the original “Star Wars” played for the first time in 1977. The latest film’s officials release is set for December 20.


theonion--2019-11-14--‘Pokémon’ Fans Are Up In Arms With Game Freak’s Refusal To Include A National Sex Offender Registry

‘Pokémon’ Fans Are Up In Arms With Game Freak’s Refusal To Include A National Sex Offender Registry In ‘Sword and Shield’

In a huge blow for Pokémon devotees everywhere, Game Freak revealed this week that the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield will not include the National Sex Offender Registry that for so long has been a quintessential part of the game experience.  Needless to say, fans are up in arms about losing the crucial ability to know exactly which Pokémon Center employees and Gym Leaders in the Galar Region have a serious past of indecent exposure, molestation, or soliciting child pornography.  “One of my favorite parts of past games has always been starting out in my house and having a few locals knock on my door to inform me that they had committed Tier I offenses of sexual deviancy and reside at such-and-such address,” said Minneapolis Pokémon fan Jessica Winesberg, one of thousands of fans who have voiced their outrage that the new release would also be stripped of iconic features such as the “Pedophile Free Zone” signs around in-game schools, libraries, and public parks. “Frankly, it’s an insult to fans to strip out this feature. Plus, how else am I supposed to keep my trainer safe from these creeps if I don’t have access to the Galar Sex Offender Registry? Every cave or forest I step into for a battle could have a potential pervert lying in wait.”  “Now, I’m just going to assume that any characters I meet in my quest might have run up to a playground full of children and flashed them,” she added.  While Game Freak has defended themselves by saying that the Switch wasn’t up to the graphical demands of rendering every sexual deviant in the Pokédex, that hasn’t stopped infuriated diehard fans from launching a social media campaign with the hashtag #PokéSexRegistry urging the developers to reconsider their choice. Clearly, gamers are not taking kindly to the developer’s suggestion that tracking down the Sword and Shield’s 150 perverts and weirdos throughout the world will be half the fun.  Thankfully, no matter how much Game Freak changes in the game, they confirmed that series fans should stay clear of Sugar Cane Isle, a location where 13% of the game’s serial offenders apparently live in a supportive Christian community aimed at rehabilitating those with a past of sexual degeneracy.


thesun--2019-06-27--Brit Xbox fans will be able to try xCloud game streaming next month three months early

Brit Xbox fans will be able to try xCloud game streaming next month – three months early

MICROSOFT'S Project xCloud promises to let you play any Xbox game you want on any device you own, just as long as it's got a decent internet connection.  While public tests don't start until October, British gamers will get to see it for themselves next month.  Microsoft is opening a new flagship store at London's Oxford Circus on July 11, and will celebrate with a four-day Xbox Showcase.  The Showcase will give gamers in Europe their first-ever chance to try out Xcloud and a number of games first shown off at E3.  It was shown off in public in the US at E3 earlier this month, but hasn't been shown publicly outside the US before.  Fans who want to guarantee a spot to see it all can register on the Xbox Showcase website to book a free 90-minute session, with slots open for July 11, 12, 13 and 14.  There will also be "a limited number" of walk-in slots available across the four days, though, if you'd rather just show up and try your luck.  If you can't make it, though, there will be a five-hour live stream from the launch day with Star Wars star John Boyega, Man City ace Raheem Stirling and a bunch of leading British game streamers.  The new store is going to have a dedicated social space for gamers, and "a number of spaces for the community".  MICROSOFT talks a good game with xCloud, but is it all mouth and no trousers? From what we've seen, it really is the real deal. Getting hands on with a demo at E3, we played Halo 5 using a mobile phone clipped to the top of an Xbox controller. It had a decent internet connection over WiFi, with the games running in a Microsoft data centre several hundred miles away. It delivers performance that's as good or better than Sony's Remote Play, without the need for you to use your own console to do it. The only problem is the small size of the screen, especially when using a controller. The games are still designed expecting you to have a huge telly in front of you, so trying to read on-screen prompts, pick out distant targets and other basic functions are really quite hard, even using something as big as a Galaxy S10+. Getting closer to the screen obviously helps, but there's only so close you can comfortably get it to your face while it's mounted to a full-size controller. The performance is great, though - blowing Covenant into tiny pieces was every bit as sharp and snappy as you'd hope for. The graphics looked super-sharp, the controls were as responsive as you could wish for, and it's definitely a viable way to play as long as you've got a decent internet connection.  Microsoft is also planning a second game streaming service due to come online later this year.  That is an answer to PlayStation's Remote Play and will let you play any Xbox games you already own on other devices for free, by streaming them from your own console at home rather than a custom-built on in a data centre.  Google is also releasing its own streaming service, Stadia, later this year.  If you want to join that particular streaming party, though, accessing the service will cost you £119 up front and £8.99 a month, with almost all new games on top of that.  Streaming could mean that the PS5 and Xbox 2 are the last games consoles you ever need to buy, though not everyone is convinced they're going to be worth it.  Meanwhile, Nintendo is just getting on with its own thing, with images having recently 'leaked' that seem to show a new model of the Switch due any minute.  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.


drudgereport--2019-03-16--Michael Jackson fans suing NEVERLAND alleged victims

Michael Jackson fans suing 'NEVERLAND' alleged victims...

Three Michael Jackson fan groups are suing his alleged victims in France for "sullying his memory" by taking part in the "Leaving Neverland" documentary, the fans' lawyer told AFP Friday.  The Michael Jackson Community -- which claims to be the "official fan club forum" for the "King of Pop" -- and the MJ Street and On The Line groups accuse Robson Wade and James Safechuck of "lynching" the star.  The case, which will heard by a court in Orleans in northern France in July, follows reports that Jacksons' children were also considering taking legal action against the men, who say that Jackson sexually abused them when they were children.  Lawyer Emmanuel Ludot, who has previously successfully sued Jackson's doctor for causing distress to his fans by giving him the drugs that killed him, said the groups "want to discredit the accusations of paedophilia" that have long dogged the star.  He said that the "indignity of the extremely grave accusations" made by Wade and Safechuck in "Leaving Neverland" had sullied the memory of the singer, who died in 2009.  Jackson's image had been affected by the allegations as well as "the whole community of his fans", the lawyer said.  "Leaving Neverland" was first broadcast in the US on HBO earlier this month and has since broken streaming records in Britain.  But the film has outraged some of the late idol's fans, who have waged an often vicious social media campaign against his accusers.  A number of radio stations, from Australia to Canada have stopped playing Jackson's music after the documentary was aired, and the creators of "The Simpsons" also shelved one of the animated series' classic episodes because it featured Jackson's voice.  French luxury brand Louis Vuitton dropped Jackson-themed clothing Thursday from a collection it had shown at Paris fashion week in January, saying it found the "allegations in the documentary deeply troubling and disturbing".  Virgil Abloh, the first black designer to lead a major Paris fashion house, was assailed on social media for the decision by Jackson fans.  "Shame on you for removing all items related to Michael Jackson," one wrote on Instagram, while another accused him of being a "traitor... on the white people side".  In 2014, French lawyer Ludot won nominal damages of one euro ($0.8) from Jackson's personal doctor Conrad Murray for the hurt he had caused to his fans for his part in the singer's death.  Murray was jailed for four years for manslaughter for giving Jackson what turned out to be a lethal dose of the anaesthetic drug propofol to help him sleep.