Aug 11, 2016 01:30 pm
Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter has proved that she’s a real-life superhero for animals by starring in a new PETA campaign urging SeaWorld to free the orcas imprisoned in its tiny tanks.
Krysten Ritter in PETA’s New Anti-SeaWorld Ad
In a new print ad — shot by famous underwater photographer Michael Muller — the beautiful actor floats inside a tank in a black-and-white bikini with her hands pressed against broken glass, next to the words “Break Free. Help Free the Orcas From SeaWorld.”
Orcas imprisoned at SeaWorld swim endlessly in circles, break their teeth by gnawing on metal tank bars, and are often given the drug diazepam to manage stress-induced, aggressive psychotic behavior. In an exclusive interview with PETA, Ritter says, “Orcas are meant to swim for 100 miles a day. They would have to swim back and forth 3,100 times in their tank to make up for that exercise.”
She also explains that orcas have complex communication systems and typically spend their entire lives in close-knit family groups — but at SeaWorld, families are torn apart and orcas are housed with incompatible tankmates. She adds, “They are paired with other orcas who maybe don’t even speak their same language. It would be like you and I trapped in a bathtub and you spoke French and I spoke English. There [would be] no way for us to communicate.”
Muller, who is best known for his photographs of free-swimming great white sharks, currently has a collection on display at Taschen Gallery in Los Angeles.
Ritter has previously starred in several campaigns for PETA — whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment” — and now, she joins a long list of celebrities — including Jason Biggs, Lily Tomlin, Marisa Miller, Joan Jett, Tommy Lee, Bob Barker, Joanna Krupa, and Laura Vandervoort — who have teamed up withPETA to speak out against abusement parks that keep intelligent marine mammals in captivity.
From the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan to the Top of the Standard in Los Angeles to Lola’s Trailer Park in Fort Worth, TX, musicians are banding together for The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence on Sunday, September 25th.
Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn and Harlem’s Gospel for Teens will headline the concert scheduled for the Beacon Theatre on Sept. 25. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 12 at 12:00pm here and all Ticketmaster locations.
Spearheaded by Massachusetts-based Stop Handgun Violence (SHV), Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, and dozens of other organizations committed to reducing gun violence, this nationwide effort will feature a diverse array of artists performing at venues ranging from churches and school gymnasiums to honky-tonks, hotel rooftops and theatres.
From the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA to the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA, artists will be performing to give voice to the more than five million Americans who have been murdered by a firearm since the mass shooting at the University of Texas on Aug. 1, 1966.
SHV Founder John Rosenthal said, “In the midst of America’s epidemic of gun violence that results in 90 deaths, over 200 injuries and a mass shooting every day, this powerful coast-to-coast concert and organizing effort will raise awareness and – very importantly – get out the vote on gun violence prevention in the November elections and beyond.”
Aug 11, 2016 11:00 am
Wizard World, Inc., (WIZD) the preeminent producer of Wizard World Comic Cons across North America, is partnering with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to auction off a custom-made and autographed Back to the Future 2-in-1 digital pinball and arcade machine, created by VPcabs.
Wizard World has partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to auction a custom-made, autographed BTTF pinball machine
The machine will be donated by VPcabs and autographed by cast members Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson. VPcabs will be debuting the 2-in-1 digital pinball and arcade machine, along with its digital pinball machine, at Wizard World Chicago, August 18 – 21.
eBay for Charity will begin the auction for the custom-made and autographed 2-in-1 digital pinball and arcade machine on Saturday, August 20 with 100% of proceeds going to the MJFF. Both the Back to the Future digital pinball machine and the 2-in-1 digital pinball and arcade machine were developed by VPcabs via a licensing agreement with the NBCUniversal Brand Development Group.
“We are continuously grateful for every unique partnership that helps speed a cure for the estimated five million people worldwide who live with Parkinson’s disease,” says Debi Brooks, Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman, The Michael J. Fox Foundation. “By connecting Back to the Future fans to our community, we do more to speed research toward a cure and move closer to a future without Parkinson’s.”
The custom-made and autographed Back to the Future 2-in-1 digital pinball and arcade machine features:
• Original Back to the Future artwork, custom designed to make this machine one-of-a-kind
• Laser engraved plate autographed by the 3 cast members
• Limited edition 1 of 1
• LED buttons, Joystick and trackball
• Orange Electroluminescent molding
• Wizard World Logo on the front of the machine
“We are honored to partner with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and help raise money for such an incredible cause,” says John Maatta, Wizard World President & CEO. “We are also excited to share this unique experience with our fans in Chicago.”
The auction will begin at 11am PST on Saturday, August 20 at this link.
To raise awareness of the importance of sustainable wood sourcing, Martin Guitar has announced it is teaming up with the Rainforest Alliance on a public engagement campaign, #FollowTheFrog.
The multi-phase campaign, which launched this week, will use Martin’s social media platforms, Martin Ambassador James Valentine of Maroon 5, and public events to drive attention to Martin’s longstanding commitment to the environment and its collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance for over two decades to protect precious forests through the practices of responsible forest management.
The multi-faceted Martin Guitar activities kick off the next Rainforest Alliance annual Follow the Frog campaign, which engages companies and consumers in the sustainability mission and communicates the positive impact of products that carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. Martin Guitar is proud to begin its engagement with #FollowTheFrog today and will launch the 2nd phase in early 2017, when the Rainforest Alliance will commence its 30th anniversary year with full global Follow the Frog activation.
As part of the campaign, Martin will chronicle the manufacturing of a guitar, certified by the Rainforest Alliance for meeting the strict standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC-certified guitars must comply with the most rigorous social and environmental standards on the market, including using woods from forests where ecosystems, wildlife and communities are protected.
Martin Guitar’s multiple social media platforms and corporate website will allow people to #FollowTheFrog throughout the journey of the instrument’s production, from conception to the final stage of adorning it with the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal, featuring the organization’s iconic tree frog inside the guitar.
When ready in early 2017, the finished guitar will be given to Martin Ambassador James Valentine, lead guitarist of the multi-platinum selling rock band Maroon 5, who will lead Phase 2 of the Martin Guitar #FollowTheFrog campaign, which will serve as an exciting key element of the global Rainforest Alliance Follow the Frog campaign.
“Martin has been deeply committed to environmental responsibility in a variety of ways for many decades, but as the world’s premiere manufacturer of acoustic guitars, wood sustainability is of particular concern for us,” said Chris Martin IV, Chairman and CEO, Martin Guitar. “It’s important to us and it’s important to our customers that we operate in a way that ensures we will have healthy forests around the world for many generations to come. We’re proud to team up with an organization as respected as the Rainforest Alliance to help us continue to achieve this mission.”
“By working with collaborating companies like Martin Guitar, who share our vision, we are able to promote the responsible management of forests to benefit communities, wildlife and the environment,” said Nigel Sizer, President of the Rainforest Alliance. “The Martin Guitar #FollowTheFrog campaign is a wonderful way for people to get an inside look at what it really means to source wood responsibly, in a way that helps people and the planet. With the global challenges of climate change and deforestation we currently face, sustainable wood sourcing has never been more important.”
The first phase of the campaign will feature special messaging on both Martin Guitar’s and the Rainforest Alliance’s digital platforms, as well as informational booths hosted by the Rainforest Alliance and Martin Guitar at key music festivals. To learn more about the campaign, please visit www.martinguitar.com/followthefrog.
The live album made at Glastonbury 2016 is out digitally via Parlophone now!
Artists including Coldplay, Muse and Foals have contributed a song recorded during their Glastonbury sets to OxfamPresents: Stand As One – Live at Glastonbury 2016, in support of Oxfam’s work with refugees worldwide.
The CD version of the album is out August 19.
The full track list is:
1 Coldplay – Birds
2 Foals – What Went Down
3 The Last Shadow Puppets – The Dream Synopsis
4 Jeff Lynne’s Elo – Showdown
5 Chvrches – Bury It
6 New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
7 Years & Years – Eyes Shut
8 Jess Glynne – Right Here
9 Muse – Starlight
10 Wolf Alice – Giant Peach
11 Editors – Munich *
12 Sigur Rós – Sæglópur
13 John Grant – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
14 Richard Hawley – Tonight The Streets Are Ours
15 Jack Garratt – Worry *
16 Laura Mvula – People
17 Madness – My Girl
18 Baaba Maal – Fulani Rock
19 Jamie Lawson – Someone For Everyone *
Download only
The album is dedicated to the memory of Jo Cox, MP, a former Oxfam activist, who campaigned tirelessly for refugees.
“We are making this special live album from Glastonbury this summer because the scale of the refugee crisis is so huge we simply had to do something,” said Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis. “We want people who are far from home and frightened to know we are doing whatever we can to help. To know the artists who play here are doing whatever they can. To know the people who love their music are doing whatever they can. Now it’s time for world leaders to do the same. All of us – Glastonbury, Oxfam, musicians and music-lovers everywhere must Stand As One to demand action for refugees.”
Coldplay said “Right now there are more refugees in the world than at any other time in recent history. They could be us and we could be them. The good news is: we can all help.”
Mark Goldring, Oxfam GB Chief Executive said, “We are very grateful to Glastonbury for bringing the weight of the music world in support of people in desperate need. I urge people to stand as one with the millions forced to flee and add their voices to some of the most famous voices in the world – buy the album, sign our petition, and make world leaders meeting in New York in September listen. Given Jo’s tireless work to help refugees both at Oxfam and beyond it felt appropriate to dedicate the album to her.”
