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The Age of Aqua

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

The Age of Aqua: It seems appropriate that we’re seeing the return of Danish Europe band Aqua at the same time that the Barbie movie has been released. It was they, after all, that had a hit with the quirky, catchy and gloriously silly “Barbie Girl.” “Come on Barbie, let’s go party!” Indeed.Last year, Aqua celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Aquarium! album which featured that “Barbie Girl” smash hit single.“The story of Aqua is the story of a unique moment in Danish music history,” reads the press bio. “Behind the hit-making band are lead vocals Rene Dif, Norwegian-born Lene Nystrøm, and producers Søren Rasted and Claus Noreen. They got together in 1994 under the name ‘Joyspeed.’ Luckily, they quickly changed their name to the iconic Aqua before the release of ‘Aquarium’, which sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and made everyone familiar with the four group members. As Lene Nystrøm puts it herself: “With the release of our debut album, we h...

Will Disneyland’s new Marvel musical be campy, cheesy and silly?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

Disneyland and Marvel fans alike have been waiting for months to see if the Avengers musical coming to Disney California Adventure will have the same campy, cheesy and silly tone as the Broadway-style song that the new show is based on.Disneyland will bring “Rogers: The Musical” based on the life story of Captain America to the Hyperion Theater on Friday, June 30 for a limited run.SEE ALSO: Is Disneyland’s Marvel musical part of the MCU?The “Save the City” song that briefly popped up in the “Hawkeye” TV show on the Disney+ streaming service was equal parts campy, irreverent and absurd. The Broadway-style number played at various times like a spoof, satire, parody and joke on Marvel, superheroes and musicals.“It was campy,” Disney Live Entertainment Executive Creative Director Dan Fields said. “It was comic book-inspired as much as anything else. So you’ll see touchstones of that, but that’s not the only flavor at all.”Disney Live Entertainment turned to classic Broadway musicals as ...

Is Disneyland’s Marvel musical part of the MCU?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

Explaining the show-about-a-show concept of the new “Rogers: The Musical” that riffs on the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an insider’s knowing smirk can be challenging for even the Disney and Marvel creative teams that collaborated on the project.“It’s the life story of a fictional character being told in a real setting on a fictional TV show and here we are making a real musical based on that fictional setting,” Disney Live Entertainment Executive Creative Director Dan Fields said.If your head is already spinning, then “Rogers: The Musical” might not be for you. But if the high-minded concept sounds intriguing or makes perfect sense, then you’ll probably love the new Broadway-style musical based on the life of Captain America coming to the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure on Friday, June 30 for a limited run.RELATED: Will Disneyland’s new Marvel musical be campy, cheesy and silly?Fields doesn’t think “Rogers: The Musical” is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.“We...

Homeless population rises 9% in Los Angeles County, 10% in Los Angeles City

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

The homeless population in Los Angeles County rose by 9% over last year, with double-digit increases reported for those living unsheltered on the street, according to data released Thursday, June 29 by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.A point-in-time count conducted Jan. 24-Jan. 26 this year reported that 75,518 people experience homelessness on any night in L.A. County, with the number of unsheltered individuals rising from 48,548 to 55,155, for a 14% jump. Unsheltered adults made up more than 70% of all the homeless people counted, not including tallies done separately in Glendale, Pasadena and Long Beach.In the city of L.A., homelessness rose by 10% over last year, increasing from 41,980 to 46,260, a steady rise since 2018. The L.A. numbers are included in the total L.A. County figures.The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, done mostly by volunteers overseen by LAHSA, paints a troubling picture of an intractable problem that persists even after government entities hav...

Mailbag: Chips for the Pac-12’s future, media rights timing, SMU’s value, Colorado replacement options and more

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

The Hotline mailbag publishes each week. Send questions to [email protected] and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline.Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.What does the Pac-12 need to do in order to survive long term, meaning 20 years into the future? — @josephkirkpatriTo a certain extent, the fate of the conference is tied to the future of the Power Five structure itself. If the Big Ten and SEC opt to become mega-leagues with 20 or more schools, the Pac-12 as we know it will cease to exist.But let’s imagine a scenario in which Big Ten and SEC membership remains fixed through the next two media contract cycles — it’s status quo for both conferences into the late 2030s.How can the Pac-12 ensure competitive success and membership stability (e.g., prevent schools from departing for the Big 12) through the next 15 or 20 years?Obviously, commissioner George Kliavkoff must craft a satisfactor...

San Jose Sharks add big forwards on second day of NHL Draft

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

The San Jose Sharks took a pair of big-bodied forwards with their first two picks on the second day of the NHL Draft on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.The Sharks selected Finnish-born winger Kasper Halttunen with their second-round selection at No. 36, then traded the 94th and 100th overall pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for the No. 71 slot where they took center Brandon Svoboda, who has committed to attend Boston University.Halttunen, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 207-pounds, had 18 points in 14 games for Finland’s U18 team this past season.Still just 17, Halttunen struggled when playing against men in Finland’s top professional league, with just one assist in 27 games. He has to work on his skating, but he plays a heavy brand and possesses a big shot.“I’m satisfied with how he played for the team, and how he makes smart decisions with the puck,” Finland U18 head coach Lauri Merikivi said of Halttunen in April, per Elite Prospects. “I see h...

Hawaii man loses bid to keep license plate that was deemed offensive

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

The recall of a Hawaii man’s personalized license plate FCKBLM was constitutionally permissible, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.Edward Odquina argued that his rights of free expression were violated when Honolulu officials ordered him to return the plate they said had been issued in error. The appellate panel, however, said the restriction focused on the content — that is, vulgar language — rather than the viewpoint of the message, and as such was constitutionally valid.The ruling issued Wednesday in San Francisco upheld a federal judge’s denial of Odquina’s request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order against the recall of his plate.Odquina, 49, had requested the license plate in January 2021. When a Honolulu city services employee contacted him to ask its meaning, Odquina claimed it was an acronym for his business’s name. The employee approved the plate, though he later acknowledged that he shouldn’t have,...

Safe fireworks shows announced by Contra Costa Fire Protection District

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

(BCN) -- The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District has released a list of safe locations to watch an explosive Independence Day in Contra Costa County. The Richmond Marina Bay fireworks are set for Monday with live music, food and family activities (info at Richmond.ca.us). The San Pablo Multi-Cultural and Aerial Drone Light Show will feature food, live music, carnival games and entertainment. The fun starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the San Pablo Community Center at 2450 Road 20. For info, go to https://sanpabloca.gov/1454/4th-of-July-Multi-Cultural-Celebration. Bay Area fireworks shows for 4th of July 2023 Pleasant Hill will set off its annual 4th of July fireworks at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. A viewing party at College Park High School at 201 Viking Drive, starts at 6:30 p.m. with $4 the suggested donation per person. The skies above Pittsburg Marina will light up with fireworks at about 9 p.m. Tuesday. The marina is at 51 Marina Blvd. Go to pittsburgca.gov for more info...

Cities with the most expensive homes in California

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of June 15, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.69%.Although home prices have inflated all across the U.S., there are some cities that command a higher price tag than others. Location, size, age, and condition are all contributing factors to home value. $100K a year is low-income in the Bay Area, according to new report Stacker compiled a list of cities with the most expensive homes in California using data from Zillow. Cities are ranked by the Zillow Home Values Index for all homes as of May 2023. The charts in this story were created automatically using Matplotlib.Metros with the most cities in the top 30 in California#1. San Francisco-Oakland-B...

Overstock.com, JPMorgan Chase rise; Lindsay, McCormick fall; Thursday, 6/29/2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes on Thursday:JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM), up $4.27 to $142.86Bank stocks rose after 23 of the nation’s biggest banks passed the Federal Reserve’s “stress testing” of their ability to withstand a severe recession. Overstock.com Inc. (OSTK), up $4.07 to $29.61The company will rebrand as Bed Bath & Beyond after buying that bankrupt company’s intellectual property.Visa Inc. (V), up $6.04 to $234.01The digital payments company acquired Pismo, a financial technology company with operations in Latin America, Asia and Europe. Greenbrier Companies Inc. (GBX), up $9.07 to $41.55The maker of railroad freight cars’ results came in far ahead of what analysts expected and raised its annual sales forecast.Wallbox N.V. (WBX), up $0.51 to $3.47The maker of charging systems said its Pulsar Plus EV charger will be available in Costco stores beginning next month. McCormick & Co. Inc. (MKC), do...