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Jessica Chastain Speaks Out on Sexual Harassment in Hollywood

Since last month, Hollywood giants including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner and Dustin Hoffman have been accused of sexual harassment and assault allegations. Among the growing number of women who have spoken out on the scandals including Jessica Chastain, who spoke out on Twitter regarding the allegations of abuse caused levied against X-Men franchise writer, director, and producer Bryan Singer.

“Let us not forget,” Chastain tweeted on Friday, along with a link to a report that reviewed many of the accusations against Singer.

During the press tour for Molly’s Game, reporters from The Daily Beast asked Chastain about the tweet, which many saw as surprising since she has been cast in Simon Kinberg’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix, which Singer is executive producing. She explained:

“I’m going to speak my mind about any injustice that I see. I’m not afraid of anything in terms of that. And I think the greatest myth that an industry can create is to make people feel like they’re easily replaceable. I’m not going to allow that into my life.”

In an interview with Screen RantChastain continued by saying:

My current thoughts and feelings are I want to do whatever I can to support victims and to know that I believe them and that there’s a community of artist that are committed to creating safe work environments. And I think that the industry has not been running the way it should be running. I think it goes beyond gender. It goes to all facets of the industry. We need to be more inclusive and um, yeah. So, the thing I am excited about is I do believe that there’s a generation of [artists] who are done with the old ways of Hollywood with the Fatty Arbuckle, Jack Warner, you know, Louie B. Mayer, that kind of old [fashioned] idea of what Hollywood is, and is more interested in creating an industry that is safe and inclusive.

That said, Chastain never said anything directly about Singer. Instead, she remained “simultaneously diplomatic and forthright” and instead chose to praise Kinberg, whom she said was the main reason why she chose to work on the upcoming X-Men movie.

“He wrote this script,” she explained, “and there are many powerful female roles in this story that Simon is telling. And all of my dealings were with Simon and Hutch [Parker, another producer], who were on set.”

Air Force Error Allowed Texas Shooter to Buy His Gun

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On Sunday, Devin Patrick Kelly ran into First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and started shooting, killing 26 people and injuring 20 more. kelly, a 26-year-old former Air Force Air Man, had been court-marshaled in 2012 and accused of assault his wife and stepson before being dishonorably discharged. There have been many questions as to how he was able to purchase a gun with a dishonorable discharge, however, a new statement from the Air Force suggest it was a  clerical error that allowed him to get hold of a gun.

According to a statement from the Air Force, they failed to enter Kelly’s domestic violence court-martial into a federal database which would have prevented him from buying a gun.

“The Air Force has launched a review of how the service handled the criminal records of former Airman Devin P. Kelley following his 2012 domestic violence conviction. Federal law prohibited him from buying or possessing firearms after this conviction.”

The statement also claimed, “the service will also conduct a comprehensive review of Air Force databases to ensure records in other cases have been reported correctly.”

This information is arguably important due to the fact that Kelly’s crime was likely motivated by his domestic violence. A new report implies that his grandmother-in-law may have been one of the people he killed and that his mother-in-law was a member of First Baptist Church.

Harvey Weinstein Hired Former Spies to Silence Accusers

There have been several accusations against Harvey Weinstein in recent weeks, alleging decades of sexual harassment, assault, and rape committed against women in the film industry. Recently, Ronan Farrow, the writer behind a piece for The New Yorker and spoke to a number of women who were willing to go on the record with their own allegations about Weinstein’s behavior. Farrow explained on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert that this was to expose “this machine that was so instrumental in keeping this quiet as long as it was quiet.”

Farrow also revealed on Tuesday a new report in The New Yorker detailing the lengths Weinstein went to in order to hide his alleged behavior. According to the report, Weinstein employed an extensive network of investigators and ex-Mossad agents to silence his victims.

“Two private investigators from Black Cube, using false identities, met with the actress Rose McGowan, who eventually publicly accused Weinstein of rape, to extract information from her. One of the investigators pretended to be a women’s-rights advocate and secretly recorded at least four meetings with McGowan. The same operative, using a different false identity and implying that she had an allegation against Weinstein, met twice with a journalist to find out which women were talking to the press. In other cases, journalists directed by Weinstein or the private investigators interviewed women and reported back the details.”

The article goes into detail into Weinstein’s intimidation tactics including using his influence to bully actresses, media personalities, and journalists who had the ability to expose him.

“The explicit goal of the investigations, laid out in one contract with Black Cube, signed in July, was to stop the publication of the abuse allegations against Weinstein that eventually emerged in the New York Times and The New Yorker. Over the course of a year, Weinstein had the agencies “target,” or collect information on, dozens of individuals, and compile psychological profiles that sometimes focussed on their personal or sexual histories. Weinstein monitored the progress of the investigations personally. He also enlisted former employees from his film enterprises to join in the effort, collecting names and placing calls that, according to some sources who received them, felt intimidating.”

The LAPD and the NYPD are investigating Weinstein following allegations of rape.

Mark Wahlberg’s ‘Mile 22’ Open Casting Call in Atlanta

Mark Wahlberg’s new movie, Mile 22, is now casting actors, models, and talent to work on scenes filming in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to Project Casting, Central Casting, the extras casting company behind Mark Wahlberg’s new movie, is now hiring actors, stand-ins, child actors, and other film industry professionals to work on the movie.

“Producers are looking for men and women ages 18 and older to make up a fictional town for the movie,” Project Casting explains in the casting call. “Casting directors are seeking people to play Indonesian, Filipino, South American, Cambodian, and Mongolia. All actors will be paid background actors. Filming will shoot between late November through February in the ATL.”

It is important to note and understand Georgia’s growing film industry. Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Georgia filmed movies and TV shows generated an economic impact of nearly $10 billion during the fiscal year 2017. In fact, 320 feature film and TV productions shot in Georgia accounting for $2.7 billion in direct spending in the state.

“Georgia’s film industry supports thousands of jobs, boosts small business growth and expands offerings for tourists,” Deal said last July. “As one of the top places in the world for film, Georgia hosted a remarkable 320 film and television productions during the last fiscal year. These productions mean new economic opportunities and real investments in local communities. We are committed to further establishing Georgia as a top film destination and introducing film companies to the Camera Ready backdrops available across Georgia.”

‘Westworld’ Production Shut Down After Actor Suffers Off-Set Injury

Westworld shut down production today when one of two units filming Season 2 of the hit HBO series temporarily halted production due to what HBO called a “medical emergency.” An actor who plays a recurring character in the show suffered an unspecified head injury off-set.

Series regulars include Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright and Ed Harris, so according to The Wrap, we know it is not one of them.

Two units were shooting, and only one was suspended due to the injury, according to The Wrap.

“Due to a medical emergency involving a performer in a recurring role on season 2 of ‘Westworld,’ filming on one of the two units has been temporarily suspended,” HBO said in a statement to TheWrap. “The cast member was not on set when this occurred, and out of respect for the performer’s privacy, we have no additional details to share, other than that everyone at ‘Westworld’ sincerely hopes for a quick recovery.”

TMZ reports, a male member of the cast “fell and hit his head at home” and sustained a “serious” injury.

According to Project Casting, Westworld casting directors held an open casting call for background acting roles, stand-ins, and possible speaking roles several weeks ago.

Westworld Season 2 is set to debut next spring, but no official premiere date has been set. HBO’s Westworld is described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin,” the series tells the story of a futuristic theme park called Westworld. Westworld features Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Rachel Evan Wood.

McRib is Back at McDonald’s Along with a McRib Locator App

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The McRib is back. Grab your iPhone X and get ready to eat some delicious McRib sandwiches.

Starting November 2nd, McDonald’s popular menu item has returned to select locations around the country. But figuring out where you can find a McRib is quite tricky. The sandwich is released at different locations with different times, and some places will not have them. According to Richard Southern, Canada may not even get McRib sandwiches this year thanks in part to high pork prices.

Luckily for McRib fans, McDonald’s has released an app that allows you to track and find the bbq sandwich. The app is called, the McRib Finder, which is available on both iOS and Android. Or, you can visit this website, which is not affiliated with McDonald’s, to find where you can buy McRib sandwiches.

McDonald's App
Stock Photo:
BANGKOK, THAILAND -JULY 2, 2016: McDonald Application on iPhone screen on July 2, 2016 (charnsitr / Shutterstock.com)

Following the release of viral release of Szcheuan Sauce, McDonald’s is giving fans a unique dining experience by decreasing supply and as a result increasing demand. One fan ended up selling his jar of Szechuan sauce to DJ Deadmau5 for an undisclosed amount after an auction for more than $4,000 fell through.

This new McRib sandwich is a clear illustration of simple economicsMake the product harder to find and buy; you will increase the demand.That said, investors will have to wait and see if it will work but, considering their past success this could be another hit for the company. In fact, after the Rick and Morty promotional campaign, the company’s stock started trading higher by afternoon trading with a rise of 0.50% to a stock price of $160.21.

Scientists Have Discovered A Mysterious Space In Egypt’s Great Pyramid

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Egypt’s Great Pyramid is one of the world’s mysterious man-made creations in the world. While scientists have largely made massive discoveries, it seems that there is more to the pyramids than meets the eye. By using radiation from space, a documentary producer made a major discovery.

The revelation refers tot he Great Pyramid of Giza, which is the final resting place of Khufu. The Great Pyramid is the biggest of three pyramids, and within there have been three chambers found inside, The King’s Chamber, the Queen’s Chamber, and unfinished chamber cut into the bedrock underneath the pyramid. There is a long hallway called the Grand Gallery that leads to the King’s Chamber, where scientists discovered the space.

Scientists from Cairo University and the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute used a specific type of cosmic rays called muons. Muons are tiny subatomic particles that bombard our atmosphere all the time, and they are useful in this case because stone and air can absorb muons in different ways. So, as you examine the absorption of muons, you can find voids inside of the stone. That is how scientists discovered the chamber inside the pyramids.

What is inside the chamber? Nobody knows. The Egyptian government is very strict about who and what gets investigated in one of the most valuable archaeological sites in the world. Not even the scientists who made the discovery know anything about it beyond the dimensions. It could full or artifacts or booby traps. One thing that is clear is that space was not intended to be easily accessible.

Expect to hear more about this new hidden space in one of the world’s greatest pyramids.

Donna Brazile: Hillary Clinton ‘Rigged The Nomination Process’

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After the resignation of controversial Democrat National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who resigned after leaked emails, revealed she showed a clear bias against Bernie Sanders, political strategist Donna Brazille stepped in to fill the gap until the election.

Now, Politico has published an excerpt from Brazile’s upcoming book on what happened. Brazile explains how she promised to investigate whether or not Hillary Clinton’s people “rigged the nomination process.”

In the Politico report, Brazile does not talk much about the emails, but she blames Wasserman Schultz’s poor fundraising skills, which she says left the Democratic party $2 million in debt. Brazile also asserts there was “proof” of an agreement between the DNC and the Clinton Campaign Manager Robby Took, who agreed to help provide the DNC with money to keep the political party funded during the election.

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Saint Louis, MO, USA – March 12, 2016: Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton campaigns at Nelson-Mulligan Carpenters Training Center in St. Louis. (Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock.com)

If true, the Clinton campaign paid the operating expenses for the DNC each month. As a result, the committee had a vested financial interest in her nomination. Things get worse when Brazile explains how the Clinton campaign reportedly bypassed the Federal Election Campaign’s limit on individual campaign donations through the Victory Fund:

Individuals who had maxed out their $2,700 contribution limit to the campaign could write an additional check for $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund — that figure represented $10,000 to each of the thirty-two states’ parties who were part of the Victory Fund agreement — $320,000 — and $33,400 to the DNC. The money would be deposited in the states first, and transferred to the DNC shortly after that. Money in the battleground states usually stayed in that state, but all the other states funneled that money directly to the DNC, which quickly transferred the money to Brooklyn.

“Wait,” I said. “That victory fund was supposed to be for whoever was the nominee, and the state party races. You’re telling me that Hillary has been controlling it since before she got the nomination?”

This excerpt from the book refers to a meeting that Brazile said she held with Gary Gensler, the Chief Financial Officer of the Clinton campaign. Brazile says she discovered the agreement, which she could not reveal in her book, but the document allowed for Hillary to control the DNC strategy and money as well as all significant hiring decisions. Ultimately, Hillary Clinton managed the DNC way before she was officially nominated, which means Bernie Sanders never even had a chance at winning, no matter how many people supported his policies.

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Stock Photo:
New York, New York, USA; June 7th, 2016; Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at her primary night victory rally at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. (Krista Kennell / Shutterstock.com)

As Brazile explains, there was nothing illegal about this agreement between the DNC and the Clinton campaign, but it was unethical. Brazile shares how she informed Bernie of what she knew, and he “took this stoically.” Bernie was not angry but wanted to know if Hillary could beat Trump in the general election, according to Brazile.

That said, it is worth pointing out Brazile supported Hillary Clinton after the primary when she leaked debate questions to the Clinton campaign.

AstraZeneca Drug Has Been Approved By FDA As A Lymphoma Drug

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The US regulators have approved a new drug for the treatment of lymphoma. The approved drug is dedicated towards the eradication of a rare form of “non-Hodgkin” lymphoma.

FDA (Food and drug administration) gave a green signal to British drug manufacturing company, about the manufacturing of drug “Calquence” on a commercial scale. The approval is an epitome of treating patients after chemotherapy or when a user has no more options left to treat lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a blood cancer, which affects almost 4,200 American annually. Medical specialists claim that the median survival of a diagnosed individual is about 5 – 7 years. According to Dr. Richard Pazdur, the director of FDA’s oncology center of excellence. “Mantle cell lymphoma is particularly aggressive cancer.”

The drug Calquence, works by blocking an enzyme, which is needed by cancer for its growth. When the enzyme is blocked, potential cancer cells would not have the means of propagation inside the human body.

A patient will have to take two capsules per day, in order to ensure the normal working of the drug. AstraZeneca claims that the drug will cost around 14,000 dollars before insurance. Arguably, this is expensive for an average Joe, but the company believes the drug will offer financial assistance to its customers.

The FDA gave its verdict of consent after the sponsored study of 124 patients, who had undergone through cancer treatment at least once in their lives. After taking Calquence, 40% of total patients went into a state of remission while the other 41% percent observed a shrinkage in their tumors.

As compared to traditional studies, the study did not include a comparison group.

Although Calquence appears effective, it has its share of side-effects. Serious side-effects include bleeding, irregular heartbeat and infections.

Papa John’s CEO Says NFL Protests Are Hurting Sales

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The controversy surrounding NFL players peacefully protesting is affecting not only the football league but the pizza business, well according to Papa John’s CEO, John Schnatter.

In a conference call with investors on Wednesday, Schnatter said that the NFL protests “hurt” Papa John’s shareholders. While he did not call out the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell by name, Schnatter said that “poor leadership” was why the company’s stock is down 24% this year.

“This should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago,” Schnatter said during prepared remarks at the start of the company’s quarterly earnings call with Wall Street analysts. “Like many sponsors, we are in contact with the NFL and once the issue is resolved between the players and the owners, we are optimistic that the NFL’s best years are ahead. But good or bad, leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership.”

Schnatter also pointed out that while the election affected NFL ratings in 2016, this year ratings are down because of the controversy, adding that “the controversy is polarizing the customer; polarizing the country.” It is important to note, Papa John’s pulled ads from several NFL games this season due to protests.

Meanwhile, Domino’s Pizza is eating up the market share. The company’s stock is up 12% this year.