Four editors were deep in debate at Yahoo Food’s offices in Manhattan: Would Yahoo visitors click on a feature about foods of the ancient Silk Road, or would they prefer a guide to cheese fries and other snacks that go well with ranch dressing for the Final Four basketball games?
Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU:US), under pressure from founder Dennis “Chip” Wilson to look beyond short-term results, said it’s working to create value for shareholders in part by improving its product line.
Ephemeral messaging is a hot trend these days. Snapchat is the poster boy for this trend and already there are countless clones of the popular messaging application. Even Facebook launched its new Snapchat competitor recently, which bundles the concept of ephemeral messaging with reciprocity. Path, a photo-focused social network, now jumps on this bandwagon as well with the launch of its new application called Path Talk.
What Path has done is known in tech circles as “unbundling.” Basically it broke its main app into two. Now Path’s core app contains all of its basic features which include sharing location and activities with friends. The core app’s messaging features have been exported to the new Path Talk app. The core app has been updated as well, which no longer restricts users to just 150 friends, and also brings a new user interface.
Available for both iOS and Android, Path Talk brings the same messaging features that were first present in its core application. The features include ability to send over 1,500 stickers to friends. Now though, in Path Talk, messages will automatically disappear from Path’s servers 24 hours after they were sent.
Moreover the Path Talk app is capable of sharing “ambient” information about the user with their friends, information which includes their transit status, location, status of phone’s battery, what song they’re listening to and more.
The folks behind Path also confirmed that the new app will receive an update by the end of this summer which will allow them to message shops and restaurants questions, so if users a restaurant if there’s a reservation available, they can receive an answer directly within the app itself.
Path Embraces Ephemeral Messaging With New App , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
At E3 2014 Ubisoft showed off the new four player co-op mode for Assassin’s Creed Unity. It was soon noticed that there were no playable female characters. This led to criticism which increased exponentially more once Unity’s director Alex Amancio said that female characters had been cut from the game because of the lack of resources needed to include them. The developer behind Xbox One exclusive Sunset Overdrive takes a subtle jab at Ubisoft in its new gameplay footage by explaining its commitment to “self-expression.”
Insomniac Games published a video earlier this week, focusing on how Sunset Overdrive lets players create whatever character they want. It shows off this ability by including in the footage a playable female character that’s dressed up as Ezio from Assassin’s Creed 2 and Brotherhood.
During the footage the “Can you play as a female character?” question is asked, the presenter replies in the affirmative. “You can be female,” the presenter says, also explaining how its possible to choose between different skin tones, different body types and gender neutral clothing. ”So if you want to be a dude in a skirt, you can be a dude in a skirt.”
Amancio later responded to the criticism over the lack of playable female characters in Unity by saying that while its a noble cause, he doesn’t think its relevant in the case of this particular title. Both Assassin’s Creed Unity and Sunset Overdrive will be released in North America on the same day, October 28th, 2014.
Sunset Overdrive Includes Playable Female Characters , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
He approached me on the beach where I was lying alone in a bikini. My boyfriend had departed momentarily to dip in the ocean.
He looked to be in his early 20, with yellow teeth, a baseball hat and a stack of light blue fliers in his hands. Right there at my towel he kneeled down and reached one of the fliers towards me. It read:
Do you have eternal life?
“Hi there,” the man said. “How would you answer this question?”
I immediately felt the familiar escape instinct that kicks in when I’m approached by strangers asking for money, hitting on me or offering eternal salvation. “No thanks.” “Not interested.” “No.” I swiftly cut them off while everything inside me curls in and turns away.
A second thought occurred to me this time, though, just as I was reeling toward: “No, go away, I’m in a bikini and I don’t want to talk to you!” I’m a religion writer after all, so why would I turn down an opportunity to talk about faith? I felt the hypocrisy of my first instinct to run and decided instead to chat with the stranger.
“I would say yes,” I answered.
“And do you listen to Jesus Christ to find the way there?” he asked.
These kinds of questions are tricky for me. No, I have not accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. But I haven’t technically denied him either. I like to think of myself as a believer in love, wisdom and compassion and a follower of any who upholds these.
“I listen to anyone who speaks the truth,” I said, carefully picking my words.
“Right on!” he said, giving me a fist bump.
I was surprised he didn’t press the Jesus issue, but we moved on.
“Can I read this to you?” he asked.
He flipped the flier over to reveal a long Biblical passage printed on the other side. Here was another point at which I might have said, “No thanks, I’m good. Have a great day. BYE.”
But I didn’t. The afternoon was young, the sun wasn’t going anywhere and by now I was enjoying the spontaneous dip into religious talk in the midst of the flip flop strewn, snow cone stained beach.
“Sure,” I said, and he began reading.
He read to me about God’s love, about salvation and heaven, about the freedom and deliverance that lies in living through Jesus. When he finished he asked, “Would you like that?”
With the sun shining down on me and the glistening waves of the Pacific all around, I thought, Indeed, I do like heaven.
“I think I already have that,” I answered.
“How long have you been saved?” he asked.
“I think we all are, from birth,” I said, wondering if he would accept my answer.
When my boyfriend returned, the man posed the same questions to him.
“How would you answer this question, [Do you have eternal life?]?”
“I kind of believe that what we’re experiencing now is heaven,” my beau responded.
“Man, if that’s true then I’m bummed,” the man said.
We have murder, drugs, people dying, people going to prison. There’s so much that’s ugly in this world. But in the Bible, God says there is salvation from this life, that heaven is a place where those things don’t exist. And those who follow him make themselves beloved in his eyes. He doesn’t really send people to hell, but He pushes those away who have sinned and turned their backs on Him.
I asked him what church he belonged to and how long he’d been passing fliers out on the beach.
“I go to a church in downtown Oceanside,” he said. “But I’m not really affiliated. I just do this because Jesus saved me, and I want to spread the word.”
“My father was shot and killed when I was six,” he continued. “Jesus was there to save me, and he’s been so constant in my life.”
This young man arrived at the beach that Sunday with beat up sneakers and circles under his eyes. Call it proselytizing, but he wasn’t getting anything out of this other than the pleasure of talking about God. And when he mentioned his father’s death, my heart ached for him. It was just one week until Father’s Day.
The conversation took all of 15 minutes and offered me a glimpse into someone else’s life and worldview that I wouldn’t have otherwise known. It makes me think of all the other conversations I’ve turned down in the past. Could I have spent those 15 minutes in any better way? Personally, I don’t think so.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — FIFA is investigating a possible racial discrimination case after photographs circulated of fans with blackface makeup at Germany’s match against Ghana.
Images posted on social media networks showed two men, appearing to be Germany fans, with blackened faces in the Fortaleza stadium on Saturday.
(Story continues below.)
FIFA said Sunday that its disciplinary committee is considering opening a case. It will also consider a report by the FIFA match commissioner, Eggert Magnusson of Iceland.
“We do not respect any discriminatory messages.” FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said.
FIFA holds national football federations responsible for their fans’ behavior inside stadiums.
In a second incident, a man ran onto the pitch in the second half of the 2-2 draw.
The shirtless fan had an email address and telephone number written on his back. He was ushered away by Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari before being detained by stewards.
Brazil’s organizing committee spokesman Saint-Clair Milesi said the man was reportedly from Poland.
“He came running, charged and jumped over the stewards,” Milesi said. “Such behavior is totally unacceptable. He was taken to the local authorities for the proper measures.”
A pitch invader is approached by Sulley Muntari of Ghana as head coach Joachim Loew of Germany (L) looks on during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group G match between Germany and Ghana at Castelao on June 21, 2014 in Fortaleza, Brazil.
HOUSTON (AP) — Mayors from the GOP-dominated states of Texas and Arizona are calling on cities to use nature to fight the impacts of climate change, even while Republican governors and lawmakers repeatedly question the science that shows human-caused pollution contributes to global warming.
As conservative governors criticize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the mayors — many from cities already struggling with climate-change effects — are taking steps and spending money to stem the damage. Attendees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors will vote Monday on a resolution that encourages cities to use natural solutions to “protect freshwater supplies, defend the nation’s coastlines, maintain a healthy tree cover and protect air quality,” sometimes by partnering with nonprofit organizations.
It’s being backed by Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton — all Democrats.
Since the conference is almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, and the resolution only “encourages” steps rather than mandating action, Leffingwell believes it will easily be approved Monday since it quickly passed through the committee on Friday.
“The best strategy is not to get involved in partisan politics,” said Leffingwell, who noted that Texas Gov. Rick Perry may be a climate-change skeptic, but he still supported the state’s move to invest $2 billion in water infrastructure after a debilitating drought in 2011.
“He doesn’t have to acknowledge climate change to know that the facts are there. … We want to take the steps that would advance the things that we all believe in without getting into some ideological argument,” Leffingwell added.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told an audience of mayors on Sunday that they could turn the debate on climate change into a discussion about economics, public safety and health rather than strictly politics. Local action could also serve as an example to skeptical lawmakers at the state level, she argued.
“You have shown them what leadership on this issue can bring,” McCarthy said.
For coastal cities such as Galveston, Houston and New York City, as well as more arid regions of the country, such as Phoenix and Sacramento, California, there is no time for debate — climate change’s effects are real.
Galveston’s seawall didn’t stand up to Hurricane Ike in 2008, partly because of the sea level rise that allowed the storm’s surge to reach inner areas. Officials began to rethink protections, leading Galveston and nearby coastal communities to collaborate with The Nature Conservancy to restore oyster reefs and wetland habitats that could better help protect communities.
New York learned similar lessons after Superstorm Sandy. Quickly after, it became clear some man-made solutions — such as seawalls or underwater fencing — are expensive and not always effective. The city also asked the Nature Conservancy to study how built defenses could be combined with “natural infrastructure” to buffer a city that’s becoming more vulnerable.
Howard Beach, a low-lying, flat area of Queens, was pounded by Sandy. The Nature Conservancy’s report concluded that significant, cost-efficient defenses could be achieved by re-vegetating shorelines and restoring mussel beds and wetlands in combination with more traditional solutions, such as sea walls.
Heat and debilitating drought is worsening in some parts of Arizona and California. Sacramento is using trees for part of the solution, and the city has outlined a detailed “climate plan” for the coming decades.
Bill Finch, the mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and co-chair of the conference’s climate task force, said some mayors in mid- and large-sized cities have had a climate plan for about seven years. Party politics are irrelevant, he said, pointing out that his co-chair on the committee is Carmel, Indiana, Republican James Brainard.
Carmel put roundabouts at 84 intersections. Studies have shown such traffic patterns can cut down on emissions. Now, Finch plans to implement a similar plan in his community.
“Mayors have to go to the grocery store and listen to families complain about kids with asthma … that their flooding is getting worse,” Finch said, pointing out that the steps in the resolution would also give cities more parks and green space.
“This is not a cause for mayors. This is a pragmatic problem that requires pragmatic solutions,” Finch said.
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Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant in Dallas contributed to this report.
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Plushnick-Masti can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RamitMastiAP
NEW YORK (AP) — The Las Vegas ensemble comedy “Think Like a Man Too” topped a slow weekend at the summer box office with $30 million, besting blockbuster holdovers from last week and Clint Eastwood’s new Four Seasons musical “Jersey Boys.”
The Kevin Hart sequel “Think Like a Man Too” narrowly edged out “22 Jump Street,” which earned $29 million in its second week of release, according to studio estimates Sunday. The DreamWorks animated film “How to Train Your Dragon 2” slid to third with $25.3 million. The top three films are all sequels that moved into the big box-office summer season following surprise hit originals released in the springtime.
Moving into summer’s bigger competition actually diminished Sony Screen Gems’ “Think Like a Man Too.” The first film, also directed by Tim Story and starring mostly the same ensemble led by Hart, opened with $33.6 million in April 2012.
Warner Bros.’ “Jersey Boys,” Eastwood’s adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical about Frankie Valli’s group, opened in fourth with $13.5 million. The film drew an overwhelmingly older audience, with 71 percent of its moviegoers over the age of 50.
Overall business at the multiplexes was down considerably. “Think Like a Man Too” and “Jersey Boys” pale in comparison to the openings on the same frame last year, when “Monsters University” and “World War Z” led a weekend gross 38 percent higher.
The box office will get a boost next weekend when Paramount’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” opens. The film, the fourth in the franchise and featuring a revamped cast led by Mark Wahlberg, is expected to be one of the summer’s biggest grossers.
But this weekend belonged to Sony, which occupied the top two spots. Last summer was rockier for the studio, with disappointments like “After Earth” and “White House Down.” Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony, called the chart-topping weekend “a call for celebration.”
Bruer said “22 Jump Street,” which has made $38.2 million overseas (a large amount for a comedy), will become one of the biggest R-rated comedies ever worldwide.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak, attributed the success of “Think Like a Man Too” to the draw of Hart, even in an ensemble. Following “Ride Along” and “About Last Night,” the movie marks the comedian’s third film to open with $25 million or more this year.
“He’s a bona fide movie star,” Dergarabedian said. “He’s versatile, he’s so well liked and he’s super funny. Talking about what actors are bankable and consistent, he’s right there in that group.”
“Jersey Boys,” while made for a relatively little $40 million, performed weakly despite the broad popularity of the musical, which toured. While Eastwood’s prestige attracted many moviegoers, the R-rated film didn’t feature stars aside from Christopher Walken and drew mixed reviews. It performed similarly to jukebox musical “Rock of Ages,” which opened with $14.4 million in summer 2012.
Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. still called it a “really good result” that will provide counter-programming for older moviegoers amid the summer blockbusters.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
1. “Think Like a Man Too,” $30 million.
2. “22 Jump Street,” $29 million ($14.5 million international).
3. “How To Train Your Dragon 2,” $25.3 million ($43.5 million international).
4. “Jersey Boys,” $13.5 million ($1.6 million international).
5. “Maleficent,” $13 million ($44.7 million international).
6. “Edge of Tomorrow,” $13.3 million ($21.5 million international).
7. “The Fault in Our Stars,” $8.6 million ($20 million international).
8. “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” $6.4 million ($11.3 million international).
9. “Chef,” $1.8 million.
10. “Godzilla,” $1.8 million ($15 million international).
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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:
1. “Maleficent,” $44.7 million.
2. “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” $43.5 million.
3. “Edge of Tomorrow,” $21.5 million.
4. “The Fault in Our Stars,” $20 million.
5. “Godzilla,” $15 million.
6. “22 Jump Street,” $14.5 million.
7. “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” $11.3 million.
8. “Blended,” $6.1 million.
9. “Frozen,” $3.4 million.
10. “A Hard Day,” $3.4 million.
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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle
WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor rejects the notion that using alternative measures to affirmative action such as income or residency could achieve similar results in diversifying the nation’s colleges and universities.
She says on ABC’s “This Week” that statistics show the alternatives simply don’t work. Sotomayor strongly backs affirmative action and wrote the dissent in April in a 6-2 decision that upheld a state’s right to outlaw the use of race in determining admissions.
Sotomayor is the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court and graduated from Princeton University. She said her alma mater could fill its freshman class with students who scored perfectly on undergraduate metrics, but it chooses not to do so because it would not create a diverse class based on standards the school considers important for success.
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