Kendrick Lamar"s "DAMN." Album Leaks Hours Before Official Release Kendrick Lamar"s "d**n." album has arrived, featuring guest appearances from Rihanna, U2, & Zacari.
Well d**n. Its finally here. Kendrick Lamars highly anticipated third studio LP has arrived!
Laced with 14 tracks in total, the follow up to 2015s To Pimp A Butterfly features guest appearances from Rihanna, U2, & Zacari. Meanwhile, K.Dot hops on production from the likes of Mike Will Made It (twice), Sounwave, James Blake, 9th Wonder, Cardo, DJ Dahi, BadBadNotGood, Kaytranada, and more.Lead by the well-received, yet semi-controversial single Humble, fans can now stream the body of workin its entirety via Apple Music. You already know this gonna be mad dope.
EL SHADDAI April 14, 2017 Good Friday Written by Anuradha Varma | New Delhi | Updated: April 14, 2017 1:57 pm Good Friday is usually spent in quiet contemplation and prayer, with the main ceremonies of Way of the Cross and Passion of Lord Jesus Christ held at 4 pm, the time of the original crucifixion. (Source: Thinkstock Images)
Its Good Friday and the important thing to remember is that good doesnt necessarily mean happy. Whether its Muharram or Good Friday, both traditionally days of mourning, Muslims and Christians are often at the receiving end of the wrong kind of wishes.
Last year, a host of ministers (not that we expect anything better from politicians currently!) wished the Christian community Happy Good Friday and the saving grace came with an appropriately worded tweet from the Prime Minister. Of course, this year, the community has bigger issues to deal with, as the governments collective amnesia led to designating the date as Digital India Day.
ALSO READ:Good Friday 2017: Why is Good Friday observed around the world?
To get back to the topic at hand, as one Catholic puts it, Its probably the Good part that leaves people confused. In most other languages, the prefix used is sacred or holy and in Hindi, its pavitra (pure), explains Reverend Dr Donald H R De Souza, Chancellor, Catholic Diocese of Lucknow. But, its a good Friday, since its the day Jesus Christ died on the cross for the salvation of humankind. The day is usually spent in quiet contemplation and prayer, with the main ceremonies of Way of the Cross and Passion of Lord Jesus Christ held at 4 pm, the time of the original crucifixion. So, how does one wish or show support to a friend from the community? Says Rev Donald DSouza, You can acknowledge the significance of the crucifixion or share good wishes for their prayers. Good Friday is followed by Holy Saturday, a day of silence, hope and expectation, leading to the Solemn Easter Vigil at night as one awaits Jesus Resurrection on Easter Sunday, a day of joy and celebration.
Good Friday is followed by Holy Saturday, a day of silence, hope and expectation. (Source: Thinkstock Images)
The situation is similar during Muharram, when people from the Islamic community are hard pressed to explain to people that its not a celebration. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan tells us that the word Muharram literally means forbidden. He explains, Muharram is one of the sacred months of the Islamic calendar. The month is sacred in the sense that during this violence and fighting are forbidden. On the ritual of self-flagellation associated with it, he explains, Only some, and not all, Muslims used to mark the day by self-flagellation. The meaning of this self-flagellation is to give a symbolic representation of the tragedy that happened with Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet, in 680 AD at Karbala in Iraq. The flagellation is not an Islamic injunction, and now it has been minimised to a great extent and is gradually coming to an end with people only lightly stroking themselves. In present times, this flagellation is performed in the symbolic sense, and not in the literal manner in which it used to happen earlier.
How can friends of Muslims wish them and help them commemorate the occasion? Maulana suggests, The greeting that Muslims friends can use is: Good Muharram! This is because Muharram is not only a tragedy, but also was martyrdom. Muslims and their friends can commemorate the event by reminding one another that Husayn made a great sacrifice in the seventh century, but now we are living in a different age and there is no need for making such sacrifice. The age of oppression is over. From this perspective, people can wish each other: Happy Muharram!
A young Muslim recalls marking the month of Muharram at his family home with acts of charity, hosting an open house that offers food to people of all faiths. We put up sharbat stalls, contribute to madarsas and people in the area know that anybody can walk in for a meal during this period, he says.
So, remember to hold your horses on Good Friday, since the joys of Easter will come around soon enough! And whatever our faiths, a little introspection never hurt anybody.
(The writer is an editorial consultant and co-founder of The Goodwill Project. She tweets @anuvee). Views expressed are personal.
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Kane"s hat trick powers Blackhawks past Penguins, 4-1
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Kempny wants to stay in the NHL next season and has already began negotiations on a new deal before he hits restricted free agency, according to The Athletics Scott Powers.
There was some possibility that Kempny might not want to stay in the NHL after an up and down season with the Blackhawks, but he shot that idea down in an interview with Powers. Not only did Kempny say that hes enjoyed his time with the Blackhawks, he also said hes not interested in returning to the KHL.
Thats good news for the Blackhawks, who will retain Kempnys rights as an RFA this summer. Theyll presumably try to re-sign him to an affordable deal that gives him a slight raise on his current $700,000 base salary while still making him one of the cheaper defensemen on the roster.
One area of interest for Kempny as he looks to sign a new contract is playing time. He appeared 50 times for the Blackhawks in the regular season, but saw his role dwindle in the second half after the acquisition of Johnny Oduya. The defense could look much different next year with Oduya and Brian Campbells contracts expiring, plus the possibility of Trevor van Riemsdyk getting picked by Vegas in the expansion draft.
While Gustav Forsling presumably will be one of the top candidates to fill a spot, Kempny should also be in the mix after a solid debut season. He didnt gain the complete confidence of Joel Quenneville with the ocassional unforced error, but he also finished with a 56.3 percent 5-on-5 Corsi. Thats 6.9 percent better than when hes off the ice, and gives an idea of how he can be useful in driving possession. That kind of talent is a nice luxury to have from a depth player.
So rather than return to the KHL, where Kempny was one of the top defensemen in the league, h**l look to keep carving out his place in the NHL. assuming he figures things out with the blackhawks, expect him to be one of the key competitors for a spot in the top six to open next season.
Nintendo Discontinues NES Classic - I Might Know Why! | RGT 85
In a somewhat puzzling move, Nintendo said it would stop selling the Nintendo Classic in North America this month, despite unprecedented demand for the mini console.
The news was first reported byIGN, which received a statement from a Nintendo spokesman:
Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year. We encourage anyone interested in obtaining this system to check with retail outlets regarding availability. We understand that it has been difficult for many consumers to find a system, and for that we apologize. We have paid close attention to consumer feedback, and we greatly appreciate the incredible level of consumer interest and support for this product.
Demand for the device has been extraordinarily high since Nintendo announced the $60 console in November. Retailers such as Walmart and Amazon had problems keeping the console in stock.
NINTENDO IS OFFERING $20K TO HACK A SWITCH
The device can still be bought from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay, but for a considerable markup.
In March, Nintendosaidit had sold 1.5 million units of the console, which contained 30 old games such as "Super Mario Bros.," "Super Mario Bros. 3," "Donkey Kong" and a host of others.
Reaction on social media to the news was one of dismay:
Booming Switch
One reason for nintendo potentially discontinuing the nes classic Edition is to not draw away attention from its exceedingly popular Switch console, which launched in early March to exceedingly high fanfare, despite the untraditional launch date.
On Friday, research firm NPD Group and Nintendoannouncedthat more than 906,000 Switch consoles had been sold in North America alone, making it Nintendo"s best launch in North America ever.
Shares of Nintendo jumped 2.1 percent in Japan following the news, outpacing the Nikkei 225 which fell 0.49 percent on back of geopolitical fears and a stronger yen.
Nintendo always strives to offer consumers something fun, new and different, said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of Americas President and COO in a statement. With its various play modes and the innovative features of the Joy-Con controllers, Nintendo Switch provides unique experiences that people can take with them anywhere and share with anyone.
DIGITAL GAME REFUNDS COULD HIT XBOX ONE, WINDOWS 10
Nintendo also said that more than 1.3 million copies of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," were sold, including 925,000 copies for the Switch, indicating an attach rate of over 100% for thehighly ratedgame.
The popularity of the current Switch notwithstanding, some on Wall Street expect Nintendo to release a smaller, more portable version of the hybrid-console to make it more kid friendly.
Although the Nintendo Switch can be used as a handheld device, we think smaller children could struggle to use it comfortably in that format due to its size and weight,Citigroup analysts wrote in an investor note seen byBloomberg. Accordingly, we think Nintendo will launch a lighter, dedicated handheld version of the Switch, possibly to be called the Switch Mini.
Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman said she gives no heed to critics of her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photo shoot -- it"s something she expected.
"I knew people were going to say that I wasn"t a good role model and all of this stuff," Raisman, who posed t*****s in the magazine, told Motto. "I did the issue because I love my body. I can express myself in any way that I want. But that doesn"t give anyone the right to judge me. I think being a role model is about being a kind person."
"It really made me realize women do not have to be modest in order to be respected," Raisman added.
Raisman is often outspoken about body image and the need for young women to have confidence. She"s recently partnered with Playtex Sport to encourage women to continue participating in sports while on their periods. Raisman spoke about the need to support girls when they are going through puberty.
"Girls feel really insecure and awkward at that stage -- your body starts to change," she said. "Instead of feeling uncomfortable and not talking about it, I think it"s important to have this conversation."
raisman also tackles the issue of sexual assault and the need for girls to speak up when someone"s behavior makes them uncomfortable.
"It"s very hard for young women to speak up," she said. "I think young girls need to understand that if something doesn"t feel right or they feel uncomfortable, then it"s probably wrong. And it"s OK to speak up."
No matter how heartfelt the outrage was, the controversy itself was premeditated. the survivor episode was filmed months ago and the producers and CBS had a choice to make about whether to air the footage outing Mr. Smith on national television.
Once the decision to do so was made, Mr. Smith and his defenders prepared responses in the time before the broadcast of the episode. Several opinion columns on the matter were even written in advance, in effect highlighting the outing and stoking the reactions. And some critics have subsequently placed the blame with CBS, for airing it.
Mr. Smith himself wrote a column for The Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday night, timed to the broadcast of the episode, and he also spoke to People about the episode.
When I got on a plane to Fiji last March, I expected to get voted out third, Mr. Smith, who is an asset manager in Brooklyn, wrote in The Hollywood Reporter. Id return home, laugh at my misadventure, and go about my life, casually trans in the same way that Zac Efron is casually Jewish.
He continued: In calling me deceptive, Varner invoked one of the most odious stereotypes of transgender people, a stereotype that is often used as an excuse for violence and even murder. In proclaiming Zeke is not the guy you think he is, and that there is deception on levels yall dont understand, Varner is saying that Im not really a man and that simply living as my authentic self is a nefarious trick. In reality, by being Zeke the dude, I am being my most honest self.
Reaction poured in.
Zeke Smith, and transgender people like him, are not deceiving anyone by being their authentic selves, and it is dangerous and unacceptable to out a transgender person, Nick Adams, an official with Glaad, the group formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said in a statement. It is heartening, however, to see the strong support for Zeke from the other people in his tribe. Moments like this prove that when people from all walks of life get to know a transgender person, they accept us for who we are.
Glaad said it had worked with Mr. Smith and CBS; the episode was not broadcast live.
Viewers were unforgiving.
The worst, cruelest moment ever on Survivor, one wrote on Twitter.
Stunned, another fumed. Cant believe anyone would take it to that level.
Mr. Varner, a real estate agent from High Point, N.C., published an apology to his Facebook and Twitter accounts shortly after the episode aired.
Yep. I did that, he wrote. And I offer my deepest, most heartfelt apologies to Zeke Smith, his friends and life allies, his family, and to all those who my mistake hurt and offended. I recklessly revealed something I mistakenly believed everyone already knew. I was wrong and make no excuses for it. I own responsibility in what is the worst decision of my life.
He added, Let me be clear, outing someone is assault.
Mr. Probst, who has hosted the American version of the show since its inception in 2000, told Entertainment Weekly that this was a unique event. In 34 seasons of Survivor, I have rarely, if ever, personally commented on what is said or done in the game, he said. I cannot imagine anyone thinking what was done to Zeke was O.K. on any level, under any circumstances, and certainly not simply because there was a million dollars on the line.
Some on social media pointed out that CBS could have chosen not to air the segment. No Probst, YOU told millions of people. #Survivor, the recent contestant Max Dawson wrote on Twitter. Another former contestant, Eliza Orlins said on Twitter that including the outing moment was unavoidable. No way to edit around it. Yikes.
(Two spokeswomen for the show did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.)
President Trumps relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin may turn out to be too close for comfort, but Trumps instincts about U.S.-Russia ties are at least partly right. The U.S. simply cant afford poor relations with the planets other nuclear superpower.
Security in Syria depends on it, for one. The even bigger issue, however, is security in Europe, where tensions between Russia and NATO have been acute for three years.
Some analysts maintain that Putin cultivates an adversarial relationship with the outside world to strengthen his popularity at home and thus his hold on power, and also to provide him with an excuse to suppress dissent. This may be true, but he also appears to bear a genuine grudge against the United States for its post-Cold War assertiveness near Russian territory. For two decades, and especially over the last 10 years, Putin and many other Russian officials have complained that NATO"s eastward march threatens Russias security.
Granted, NATO has gone out of its way to consult and work with Russia since the Cold War ended. It has also avoided putting major combat forces in new member states that are located near Russias borders.
Still, one can understand why Russians would find it overbearing and triumphalist that NATO moved 1,000 miles east while taking in a dozen new members, most of which were previously part of the Warsaw Pact or the Soviet Union. The U.S. also supported democratic forces that gave rise to revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, and, as Moscow sees it, we attacked other countries, including Serbia, Iraq and Libya, without a legal basis for doing so and often with poor results. Meanwhile, NATO expansion continues. Last month, the U.S. Senate ratified the Balkan nation of Montenegros accession to the alliance, and Trump on Tuesday signed off on the move.
In Putin"s eyes, we are an out-of-control hyper-power that must be opposed. His view is warped, but it appears to be sincere.
The whole situation is counterproductive, and nowhere more so than in Ukraine and Georgia. President George W. Bush persuaded NATO to publicly offer eventual membership to the two countries both former Soviet republics, both adjacent to Russia but there was no timetable established and no interim guarantee of security in the meantime. They are thus fully exposed to Russian aggression. Exacerbating matters, NATO has a longstanding policy of not accepting new members until they resolve any territorial disputes with neighbors. Though a sensible idea in the abstract, the policy gives Putin an incentive to stoke trouble with Ukraine and Georgia, because any ongoing disputes invalidate their near-term eligibility for NATO membership.
Trump should at least try to deescalate tensions. He could do so with a broad agreement between NATO states, Moscow and the neutral countries of Europe. In such an agreement, nato could vow not to expand further. In return, Russia would commit to leave the neutral countries alone, withdraw military forces from their territories, allow them to join whatever diplomatic and economic groups they want (including the European Union), and stop arming and abetting separatists in places such as the Donbas region of Ukraine and northern Georgia. Once Putin met these conditions, the U.S. could lift its sanctions against Russia.
Trumps two predecessors also wanted to improve U.S.-Russia relations, of course. Bush tried until disputes over Iraq and NATO soured the atmosphere; Russia then invaded Georgia in the summer of 2008. President Obama talked of a reset with Moscow before his hopes were dashed by Russia"s aggression against Ukraine and Syria, and by Putin"s suppression of dissent and democracy at home.
Putin continues to make diplomacy difficult. He is now adamantly opposing Trumps limited and careful reprisal against the gruesome use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. And as investigations heat up into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, much of Trump"s top national security team is reverting to anti-Russia rhetoric.
If we continue down this path, a U.S.-Russia war could even erupt over a contested area in Europe. To reduce the risk, we need to develop an alternative to further expansion of NATO, one that promotes the security and prosperity of the neutral countries in Eastern Europe.
Michael E. OHanlon is a senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.
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