People, Places and Things
GWEN DERU
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY…to all of the mothers and the ‘mother figures!’
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THURSDAY NIGHT WORKOUTS with Live Females at the Blu Onyx.
**CINCO DE MAYO with DANNY HAMMONS, JERROD ATKINS & RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**BRIAN KELLEY at Iron City.
**LIVE KARAOKE SHOWCASE hosted by LOGAN THE ENTERTAINER, every Thursday at Ruth’s Place in Irondale, 2404 Derby Way. DJ MOSE STOVALL is on crowd control.
**EVERY THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Kappa Komplex, 45 6th Avenue South.
**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.
**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.
**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.
**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.
FRIDAY…
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**TRIBUTE TO JOE AND TANK featuring KUNTRY SOUL at Perfect Note.
**THE BAND KAROLINA with KAYDEE MULVEHILL at The Nick.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**FREE HOOKAH FRIDAYS at Blu Onyx, 10 p.m.
**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.
**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, W.
SATURDAY…
**SPRING FLING MARKET, 1-5 p.m. at Ross Bridge
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.
**MS. JOHNNIE AND THE JAMMERS Live After Five, 7-10 p.m. at Bistro on 19th located at 109 19th St. N., Bessemer. EVERY 2nd and 4th SATURDAY!!
**SOLD OUT SATURDAYS at the Blu Onyx Every Saturday.
**CIROC SATURDAYS at Blu Onyx.
**LOCAL MAN & LEFT ON RED at The Nick.
**TRIBUTE TO R&B 70s-80s w/DEE BRADLEY at Perfect Note.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!
SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.
**WOODLAWN STREET MARKET, 12 p.m. at Woodlawn Street Market.
**FOODIES, BEATZ, VIBEZ, 2-9 p.m. at 604 Bar & Lounge at 604 9th St. No.
**SAINT AETHER HOMECOMING SHOW w/ BROTHA JOSH, VON MAUR + VAMPIRE MANSION at The Nick.
**2 SEXY SUNDAY at the Blu Onyx, 8- 12 p.m.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**MOTHER’S DAY with DEE BRADLEY at the Perfect Note.
MONDAY…
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.
TUESDAY…
**INDUSTRY NIGHT TUESDAY at Blu Onyx, 8 p.m.
**EVERY TUESDAY – TRUE STORY BREWING JAZZ SESSIONS, 7- 10 p.m., 5510 Crestwood Blvd.
**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.
**EVERY TUESDAY LIT AND JAZZ with DAVID TALLEY AND FRIENDS, 7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Rev. Abraham Woods Blvd.
**FAT TUESDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY JAZZ JAM, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m. Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.
**OPEN BAR WEDNESDAY, 8 p.m. at Blu Onyx.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THURSDAY NIGHT WORKOUTS with Live Females at the Blu Onyx.
** TRIBE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS TOUR at The Nick.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
Mind Reading: Team Of Scientists Reconstruct Human Brain In 3D With Highest Accuracy To Date
A virtual three-dimensional trips inside someone else’s head is now possible after scientists used new techniques to produce the most accurate images of the human brain ever revealed.
By combining non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and microscopes, a team of neuroantomists from the University of Amsterdam and the Max Planck Institute produced 3D images of two complete brains with an unprecedented level of detail.
Team member Anneke Alkemade, who is co-author of a study on the technique published in the journal Science Advances, said: “We are excited about all the possibilities this can open up for the field. Instructors can use the datasets for neuroanatomy training or virtual dissection, for example.”
She added, “And the ability to compare MRI results to individual proteins will give researchers more insight into poorly understood MRI observations and provide more anatomical details about small brain structures.
Co-author Nikolaus Weiskopf said: “It allows us to better link the MRI images to the underlying biological microstructures,”
He also added that the technique may detect dangerous medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, much earlier than currently possible.
Co-author author Evgeniya Kirilina, said, “It’s a unique resource for studying very small but very important brain nuclei that supply the brain with the neurotransmitter dopamine.”
Dopamine is an organic molecule that plays several important roles in cells, including in the brain. In the brain, dopamine is a neurotransmitter—a chemical released by nerve cells to send signals to other nerve cells.
In the brain, there are several dopamine pathways, of which one has an important role in reward-motivated behaviour.
The level of dopamine in the brain increases in an anticipation of rewards, while many addictive drugs increase dopamine release or block its reuptake into neurons.
In addition, there are nervous system diseases associated with dysfunctions of dopamine, including Parkinson’s disease, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), restless legs syndrome, and schizophrenia.
In the new study, the researchers used an MRI much more powerful than the hospital version, relying on software they developed to distinguish between living and preserved human tissue.
Sectioning brain tissues into thin slices, the team photographed each section individually and digitally corrected them later.
Each section was placed on special glass slides and processed on custom-built laboratory equipment.
After the sections were digitized, the co-authors created new algorithms to correct the tissue deformations created by the cutting and microscopy.
The researchers were rewarded, after weeks of calculations, with complete reconstructions of two individual human brains.
The data and images are now available free of charge so that people around the world can take 3D trips through reconstructed human brains.
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This Morning TV’s Josie Gibson Abseils Down London’s Television Centre In Spider-Man Costume
British TV Celeb Josie Gibson stunned viewers by abseiling down the iconic TV Centre in London dressed as Spider-Man.
The presenter was hosting a segment about the new 20th anniversary Spider-Man featurette.
As Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield cheered her on from inside the studio, Josie screamed: “My spider senses are telling me maybe this is a bad idea!
“If you like action movies then you wanna tune in to this because this is the real action here.”
As she lowered herself down from the roof of the famous White City building which houses This Morning’s studio, strapped into an abseiling harness, she shouted: “Celebrating 20 years of Spider-Man films, and don’t we just love it.
“I don’t know how to get out of the harness but I’m so glad I did that.”
The presenter revealed earlier on in the show she had undergone hypnotherapy to help her with her fear of heights.
Before starting her descent, she said: “I’m quite scared of heights.”
“It is a lot higher than I thought it would be, you just look down there and everybody looks like ants.
“But I’m gonna try to channel my inner Spider-Woman and get down that wall.”
Holly Willoughby told Josie: “You’re doing so well, you’re nearly there.”
As Josie reached the ground, Phillip joked a taxi was coming to pick her up to take her to the Shard.
“That’s really naughty, that is.” laughed Josie.
Josie swung into action to celebrate Spider-Man’s 20 years on the big screen.
To mark the anniversary, Sony Pictures has released a 30-minute long featurette Spider-Man: All Roads Lead To No Way Home, a new documentary [https://youtu.be/Sn68AF2MGo8] with never-before-seen interviews with the three Spider-Men.
Presented by Spider-Man stars J.B Smoove and Martin Starr, it showcases the journey of Spider-Man swinging from his first cinema appearance to his latest in the Marvel Universe and is available to rent from 9 May, at most UK online retailers including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.
Since the initial conception of the comic book hero by Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, there has been eight films, cartoons, and merchandise.
Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi marked Spider-Man’s first web-slinging adventure on the big screen in 2002 but now, 20 years later, Spider-Man’s latest film Spider-Man: No Way Home starring Tom Holland has become the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time.
The three generations of Spider-Man, stars Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield, have discussed what it truly takes to become the superhero, with new revelations about how the famous costume has changed over the years and the problems each actor faced when suiting up.
In one clip, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire reveal the staggering amount of talcum powder they used to fit into their suits, while Tom reveals his tricks of the trade about how he put on the iconic costume.
The featurette dazzles with standout clips of Spider-Man throughout the eight films, highlighting both the nostalgic similarities between the films and the differences between the three generations of Spider-Man.
Please credit: This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV and ITV Hub.
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Life À La Carte: New VR App Combines Social Media, Chat And A Metaverse
While engineers are still chewing on ways to get virtual-reality users to taste their virtual apples, one company has taken a step forward for the market by combining a social media app with a hyper-realistic metaverse.
On June 2, 2021, Gravvity Group Inc. launched the beta version of the chat app, which will be combined with a unique world called “the Remix.”
Powered by the immensely powerful Unreal Engine 5, the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool, the Remix features a photorealistic appearance, distinguishing itself from other metaverses, which offer a largely cartoonish experience that is not as appealing to the masses.
The Remix is advertised as the most immersive metaverse seen to date and acts as a template for all future platforms.
It provides virtual land — for a price — where individuals and businesses can host meetings, sell goods and services, advertise products, create attractions, host live events, create NFTs and virtual assets and more. Businesses can even use their space for team-building exercises, training and remote work.
Only 50,000 parcels are available for purchase, with prices starting at $150, compared with virtual land in other metaverses, which reached over $18,000 per parcel in January 2022, according to Forbes.
The first cycle of private land sales on the Remix platform is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022. This land can also be sold or leased to other users, creating a secondary real estate market, as seen on other platforms.
Meanwhile, consumers can make use of the chat app or scroll through their social newsfeed to earn GRAVY tokens, which can be used to purchase anything from ads to goods and services. Members also receive daily airdrops of GRAVY tokens.
The hyper-realistic landscape provides opportunities to explore imaginary lands, engage in games and live events with friends and family and experience virtual replicas of real-world attractions. Play-to-earn games, daily contests and challenges will offer various rewards including NFTs.
Shoppers will be able to try on outfits in virtual stores to check the fit, make a purchase and have their items delivered.
Gravvity claims it will tackle all the most pressing issues currently affecting metaverses. Members of the Remix will be able to manage everything from data collection to the news appearing on their feeds.
Some 5 billion users are expected to engage with metaverses by 2030, creating a market worth $8-$13 trillion, according to a report released by global investment bank Citi.
Produced in association with MetaNews.
Edited by Siân Speakman and Matthew B. Hall
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Nikon And Microsoft Partner To Produce VR Content
Nikon has established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Nikon Creates Corp., to enable the planning, shooting and production of volumetric virtual reality and 3D content as Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Capture Studios’ (MRCS) first licensed partner in Japan.
The launch of Nikon Creates is a significant sign that Nikon is embracing video-content development on a corporate level. The new unit, which began operations on April 1, will use the company’s high-end production technologies to create high-quality 3D data output.
Nikon’s new sub-business will be housed in a video-production facility in Heiwajima, Ota-ku, Tokyo, moving from its current location at the company’s Sagamihara plant. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2022, the new facility will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology. Nikon said this facility will provide customers with a range of video-production options by enabling the creation and delivery of 3D data movies, also called volumetric videos, as well as virtual-reality productions.
The new production center will be capable of capturing and synthesizing the movement of individuals against a backdrop using computer graphics and either a huge monitor or green screen.
“By bringing image goods to market and creating spaces and chances for artists to use their imagination and creativity, Nikon has aided in the development of imaging culture,” the firm said.
“Now, by using cutting-edge image technology for content production, Nikon Creates will collaborate with content producers to develop new video expressions. Nikon’s goal is to create new image value in a variety of industries, including entertainment and advertising, while also contributing to the further growth of imaging culture.”
Microsoft’s MRCS is a platform that was announced with Windows 10. It enables interaction through augmented reality or virtual reality. The Mixed Reality Portal has undergone three revisions so far, with the most current being released in October 2021.
MRCS takes holographic movies — that is, dynamic 3D captures of people and performances — that may be displayed in 3D, 2D or virtual reality.
Apart from its latest agreement with its Japanese partner, Microsoft has partnered with five other studios across the world to use its platform. The studio in San Francisco is the company’s main partner and the first to be licensed. The others are located in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, London and Seoul.
Each studio offers clients the ability to plan a shoot, capture it, get assistance with post-production and deliver a finished product. MRCS offers plugins for Unity, Epic Unreal Engine and iPhone/Android (ARKit/ARCore) that can be leveraged to ensure content will work on a variety of platforms.
Produced in association with MetaNews.
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Hyundai Launches New Electric Appeal For African Americans
Hyundai unveiled one of the world’s largest marketing efforts to sell electric vehicles to African Americans.
Culture Brands, a Washington, D.C.-area firm that made news last year by becoming the automaker’s first minority advertising agency of record, is leading the strategy and design of the new campaign.
Featuring the all-electric 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5, the campaign, titled “Leading by Example,” showcases the convenience of an electrified lifestyle, according to a Hyundai spokesperson.
“We wanted an IONIQ 5 spot that illustrated a lifestyle without limits,” said Angela Zepeda, Hyundai USA’s chief marketing officer. Motor America. “This latest creative demonstrates how the IONIQ 5’s advance features and technology allow for great family fun with zero emissions.”
“Leading by Example” tells the story of Uncle Miles as he picks up his nephew, Blake, from school for a guys’ night. While the two stop for snacks, the vehicle is shown charging from 10 percent power to 80 in a span of 18 minutes and, later, powering an outdoor video game splashed across a garage door.
“We wanted to show the uncle-nephew dynamic as a representation of a relationship you don’t often see in the media and rarely portrayed,” said Eunique Jones Gibson, chief executive and creative officer at Culture Brands. “Uncle Miles isn’t replacing Dad, he is an extension of important male influences in Blake’s life. Not to mention kids love to ride in cool cars and impress their friends. This is all done with organic integration of the product.”
The OKAY Hyundai campaign was first launched last Fall and is designed to strengthen the connection between Hyundai and African Americans through the use of cultural references and social cues.
“In the African American community, placing OKAY before something is the quintessential way things worth noticing are acknowledged,” Gibson told Zenger in an interview this past year. “Together [with Hyundai], it’s the perfect nod to Hyundai and to our prospective buyers. See someone with a nice outfit on? OKAY outfit. See someone driving a vehicle that elevates the entire market? OKAY Hyundai.”
African American representation for the marketing campaign is evident on both sides of the camera. Young Blake is portrayed by Marvin Winans III, grandson of gospel music artist Marvin Winans. The spot is directed by New York-based director Jenn Shaw, whose resume includes work for Facebook, Capital One, KIA and the NFL Network. The production company, tinygiant, is woman-founded and led. “A black woman-owned ad agency hiring a woman-owned production company and a black, female director is what we need more of in this industry,” said Gibson.
“[Throughout the campaign], Culture Brands has proven to have a strong understanding of our brand, industry and consumer, as well as communicating in an authentic manner,” added Zepeda. “Having an African American agency of record is important to our overall brand communications.”
Messaging is Key
Both Gibson and Zepeda said it is too early to gauge the results of the campaign, but two key market factors will impact its effect on black electric vehicle consumers.
An October 2021 survey of 1,800 black and Latino voters in six states revealed that these communities view climate change as a low-priority public policy concern.
“While an overwhelming majority (64%) of respondents agree that they personally experience the effects of climate change,” read the survey report released this past January by think tank Third Way, “only 6% of respondents consider tackling climate change a top priority for the Biden Administration, with stronger support for prioritizing the economy and job growth (23%), among other issues.”
Jared DeWease, deputy director of communications for Third Way’s climate and energy program, and report co-author, described climate change as “a low salient issue for African Americans.”
DeWease added that climate change proponents need to do a better job on connecting climate change solutions to the economic benefits that blacks find important.
“Our results show that while climate change remains a secondary priority for Black and Brown communities that we surveyed, they understand the inherent link between climate change solutions and economic benefits, with 72% of respondents agreeing that a clean energy transition can reduce bills and create jobs, and 80% agreeing that the transition will create millions of well-paying jobs in underserved communities,” the report read. “This exposes the need for policymakers, advocates, and communicators to engage earlier and better to make these links explicit.”
“It’s really about messaging climate change as an economic imperative to make it a higher salient issue,” DeWease said.
Barriers to Market Access?
Another factor involves the demographics among electric vehicle buyers.
According to a literature review on electric vehicle consumer behaviors by the Fuels Institute/Electric Vehicle Council, the typical owners (35%) are middle-aged white men earning more than $100,000 annually, college-educated, and with at least one other car in the household. Blacks comprise only 3 percent of the market.
“Among higher income African Americans, there are no significant price barriers to purchasing electric vehicles, economists say. Among lower income people, who tend to buy used vehicles, fewer buy electric vehicles. “These differences naturally raise questions about barriers to PEV [plug-in electric vehicles] adoption among low-income and minority ethnic populations,” according to University of California, Davis economic professors Erich Muehlegger and David Rapson, whose February 2018 work was featured in the review. “By comparing outcomes in the ICE [internal combustible engine], hybrid and PEV [plug-in electric vehicles] markets across income and ethnic groups, we are able to test whether price discrimination and barriers to market access are higher in PEV markets for low-income and minority ethnic groups. We find that, overall, they are not, although there are mixed results for the used PEV market.”
Edited by Virginia Van Zandt
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Schoolboy’s Game Called Splat Putin Initially Rejected As Mean By Apple
A schoolboy has created a game called Splat Putin to raise money for Ukraine – which the family say was initially rejected by Apple because it was “mean-spirited”.
Gerry Cameron, 10, was having a conversation with his dad Harvey Cameron, 53, about the war when he decided he wanted to help.
The Year Five student had been pondering on the idea of making his own app for a while, and after brainstorming a few ideas, came up with Splat Putin.
His father then got in touch with a software developer, who they met with several times a week to develop the game.
And, on April 12, after a month of hard work, Gerry was able to launch a revised version of his app on both the Android and Apple stores.
The initial plan was for an app that saw players chuck POO at Putin – which the family say Apple rejected as it was “mean-spirited”.
Gerry, from Cheshunt, Herts., said: “I love technology and gaming and I thought this would be a good time to make a game that can help people in Ukraine.
“Watching my idea for a game come to life has been a really fun experience.”
When coming up with the application, Gerry originally wanted to name the game Poop on Putin – where players would throw feces at the Russian leader.
But, after Apple said they’d refuse to launch it on their platform because of the nature of the game, he was forced to rethink.
It is alleged that the company said the theme was “mean-spirited” – which came as a surprise to Gerry and his parents.
To meet the app store’s guidelines, the schoolboy came up with Splat Putin as an alternative where players control a monkey who throws bananas instead.
After weeks of chasing Apple and jumping through hoops, they were finally able to launch the app earlier this month.
The game already has over 100 downloads across both stores, and since creating a Splat Putin Facebook page a week ago, Gerry has racked up over 10,000 subscribers.
Proud dad Harvey said: “This was all his idea we just helped him facilitate it. He really wanted to raise some money and this seemed like the best way to do it.
“His creativity has really blown us away and his determination to get the app completed and launched on the most effective platforms has been so impressive.
“We’ve had constant zoom meetings and consultations with the developer to get here but now it’s finally ready and it’s doing really well.
“I was really surprised at how hard it was to get Apple to launch it on their store, and the fact they called it ‘mean-spirited’ I found bizarre.
“If Gerry’s game is mean towards Putin, how would you describe how he is behaving in Ukraine?”
Gerry’s aim is to raise $1million for a Ukraine charity, and he plans to do that through advertising on his app and purchases.
Currently, the game is free to download, but if players want to play without advertisements, they can pay 99p to do so.
So far Gerry has raised between £600 and £1000, but he is yet to decide which charity to donate his earnings.
He has been praised at his school where students and staff have also been working together to raise money for the crisis.
Gerry said: “I have taken lots of inspiration from my favorite Youtuber Dan TDM and I think he would be impressed if he played my game.
“It seems to be doing really well which I’m very pleased about – I can’t believe I have 10,000 subscribers on Facebook.
“I have more ideas for other games in the future and I can’t wait to share them with the world.
“But at the moment I am just focusing on growing Splat Putin and earning as much as I possibly can to help the Ukrainian people.”
Apple have been approached for a comment.
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