If you’re a fan of baseball and the history of the minor leagues then you may be familiar with the historic Chattanooga Lookouts. The Tennessee Double-A team dates back to the early 1900s and is sometimes known for baseball trivia relating to Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig.

Back in 1931, the New York Yankees played the Lookouts at Chattanooga’s Historic Engel Stadium. The Lookouts roster included a 17-year-old girl named Jackie Mitchell who struck out both Gehrig and Ruth. The Lookouts have since moved to a new stadium but Engel Stadium is still in use and has become a filming location.

In the movie 42, the True Story of an American Legend Engel Stadium was used as the setting for much of the live baseball scenes filmed for the movie. It doubled for historic ballparks such as Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn which was torn down in 1960.

Lookout for Looie!

At the end of March 2021, the Lookouts front office reported to police that the offices at the new home of the lookouts since 2000, AT&T Field, were broken into. Among the items listed as stolen was the head for the mascot costume for Looie the Lookout. It is valued at $3,000 by the team.

Rich Mozingo, President for the Lookouts, stated that Looie was not just sitting around for somebody to pick up.

“He was behind locked doors,” Mozingo said during an interview. “And, they beat those doors in.”

BREAKING: Looie Found Safe and Sound!

After being mascot-napped, Looie the Lookout has been returned home safe. The Lovable Lookout would like to thank the Chattanooga community and his friends @ChattanoogaPD for their support and assistance.

https://t.co/yfHvboaCKd pic.twitter.com/QRRDHJMjaw

— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) March 31, 2021

Other items stolen included team sports memorabilia and equipment. But Looie is what captured the attention of area residents and sports fans from across the nation. Social media posts from the Chattanooga Police department and the Lookouts started a small “Lookout for Looie” neighborhood watch campaign.

It didn’t take long for the effort to knock one out of the park! Pun intended.

Looie Returns

Enter Brian Hunter who is an electrician for the nearby Tennessee Aquarium. Both AT&T Field and the Aquarium are located in downtown Chattanooga.

“I saw something red on the side of the road back there on Powerhouse Alley,” Hunter said about his drive on the road that home run and foul balls often land on. “I heard the story yesterday and I knew to stop,” said the electrician for the Aquarium. “I looked at it and I kind of knew what it was… it was Looie.”

Mozingo said that he and others in the office were worried about the outcome.. but at the same time hoping for the best. Here’s the reason – there’s not much a thief can do with a stolen professional sports team mascot! Post one selfie on social media with a big stolen mascot head and the police will soon be paying a visit.

“Once you’ve stolen Looie’s head… what do you do with him?” Mozingo stated in an interview with local NBC news affiliate WRCB Channel 3. “There’s not a real great market for it.”

As with any good crime story, pictures of the soggy Looie head laying on the side of the road were taken. But, the Lookouts front office didn’t want to release them out of respect for Looie’s many young fans.

Looie is back in the hands of Mozingo and his staff and getting ready for home games. The question now is who took him? According to police the dollar amount of the theft could lead to felony charges. Hopefully, that mystery will be solved. And, hopefully, Lookout fans will get to see Mr. Hunter throw out the first pitch during a game this upcoming season!

The post Stolen Mascot Returns to Historic Minor League Baseball Team appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

A crisp Sauvignon Blanc, a creamy Chardonnay, a very Instagrammable rosé, a silky Pinot Noir and a couple of robust Cabernets. All grown in Monterey Country, California, are expected to hit the shelves in the following weeks.

With a fantastic team of experts comprising renowned Master Sommelier Chris Miller and winemaker Nick Dumergue, this undertaking is predicted to target the middle-range and fine wine markets.

Chef Ramsay’s new vinous business doesn’t come without controversy. Being a fierce ambassador for British cuisine, it just doesn’t sound right that his wine’s grapes don’t come from the emerging British vineyards. England’s wine regions have been growing steadily in the last few years, and quality is better than ever.

Perhaps Chef Ramsey has been spending too much time on his Los Angeles property.

Meanwhile, the British wine industry could use sponsorship of Ramsay’s caliber. Isn’t Britain’s finest fermented grape juice not up to the celebrity Chef’s standards?

The post From Hell’s Kitchen to the Vineyards, Chef Gordon Ramsay Releases His Own Wine appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

It has the power to influence people’s lives immensely, yet the ever-prevalent social stigmas are treated like the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.

Though the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was primarily responsible for modulating what private TV channels broadcast, it has spent years blocking western and Indian content from Pakistani screens. However, in recent times it has been notorious for consistently banning dramas depicting social taboos.

The board became active, especially since the past year, taking down local serials, left, right and centre. It started from Udaari, a few years back, while the recent hit list consists of the much-anticipated drama ‘Dil na umeed to nahi’. A strong female lead seems to be the common factor in all these dramas.

PEMRA and its controversial ban History.

1. Dil na umeed to nahi – (I haven’t lost hope)

PEMRA reportedly issued a notice to TV One, citing the drama Dil na umeed to nahi for airing ‘objectionable content’. The channel also received a five-day notice to review the telecast and censor the necessary scenes. After the verdict, PEMRA made headlines in print and electronic media alike. Simultaneously, social media was abuzz with netizens calling out the authority for its bias decision. The majority of the audiences opined that they need more such dramas to highlight social issues in society.

The drama features a stellar cast with Yumna Zaidi as the main protagonist, Nauman Ijaz, Yasra Rizvi, Samiya Mumtaz and Wahaj Ali, playing significant roles. The gripping storyline revolves around a prostitute Sumbul, who had a traumatic childhood as a victim of human trafficking. Regardless, she pushes through adversity to emerge as a strong woman who fights against injustice for her fellow call-girls.

Additionally, the story-driven play portrays a mix of social stigmas like child-abuse, prostitution, human trafficking and child marriages.

Dil na umeed se tou nahi comes under the production banner of Kashf Foundation, famous for making serials highlighting social issues like child abuse, sexual harassment and prostitution.

• Udaari (Lit: to fly)

Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed starrer Udaari was the first drama serial to bring social evils like sexual harassment, child abuse and rape to Pakistani screen sets.

Udaari hit the television screens in 2016, making waves for its bold representation of an unorthodox subject. The 25-episode narrative brought child sexual abuse to the forefront and helped create awareness among the masses.

After the telecast of the first few episodes, Hum TV received a show-cause notice from PEMRA, asking to explain the airing of a few unpalatable scenes. Other channels also got warnings to produce dramas in compliance with social values or get ready to face the ban.

• Pyar Ke Sadqay (For the sake of Love)

Pyar ke sadqay premiered on Hum TV from January to August 2020. It was another such drama to stir up controversy. This Hum Sitaray serial showcased Omair Rana as an obsessive father-in-law who pursues his son’s naive wife (Yumna Zaidi) romantically and makes consistent advances on her. However, the drama depicted the real picture of our society, as statistics indicate that 34 per cent of sexual abusers are close family members.

However, this time PEMRA issued a press release stating that the drama’s plot went against viewers discretion as they did not want to see such disrespect of “sacred relations”. The board also mentioned that they have been receiving several complaints on a daily basis, since the show went on air.

After repeated notices to TV channels, PEMRA finally announced a ban on the rerun of 2 dramas, one of which was Pyar ke sadqay.

All around the world, Entertainment industries are venturing into creative projects and genres, educating audiences on societal issues. However, in Pakistan, such bans on dramas depicting societal challenges does nothing but hinder the creative process of the Pakistani entertainment industry.

Instead of banning social campaigns, PEMRA can ask channels to shift broadcast timings to after 9 PM that cater to mature audiences. Doing so will be a win-win situation for all, the audience as well as the makers.

The post PEMRA Bans more TV Dramas which depict Social Stigmas appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

The film industry, and film and television award shows in particular, have long faced criticism for their lack of acknowledgement, and sometimes blatant disregard, for the work of those actors/writers/directors from minority groups.

Despite some huge wins for these communities in recent years, with films such as “Get Out (2017)” and “Parasite (2019)”, many still claim these award shows and the people that organise them have a prejudice towards these groups. The 2021 BAFTAs are rewriting the script on Hollywood.

16 of the 24 acting nominees this year are coming from ethnic minority groups. Of these include, Daniel Kaluuya, who received huge acclaim for his role as Chris Washington in the previously mentioned Horror-Drama, “Get Out”. His latest film, “Judas and the Black Messiah” has a total of 4 nominations, making it one of the most commended films at the ceremony.

The film has seen unprecedented success due to the topical nature of the film’s story and how it links to a recent rise in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On top of this, 4 out of the 6 nominees for directing are women, making a stark difference from last years’ BAFTAs where not a single nominee for directing was a woman. Director Chloe Zhao seems to be the fan favourite to win, and seeing as her film “Nomadland” has been nominated for 7 awards, it’s safe to say she’s walking away with at least one trophy in hand.

But nothing is certain yet, and since the ceremony is still a month away, we’ll have to stick with guessing for now…

The post 2021 BAFTA Nominees Announced with most Diverse Nominations in Film History appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

The internet’s finest minds have been attempting to guess the title of the yet-to-be released superhero blockbuster for months now; with both of the two previous entries in the Spider-Man trilogy having “home” be a part of their name, with “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, many fans expected the third film to follow suit.

Of course, Marvel knew this too, and knew that the fans would likely want this trend to continue. They also wanted to join in with the fun of suggesting titles for their own upcoming film. So, they did!

Less than 24 hours before the official title was released, the three lead actors of the film, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon teased audiences by posting the so called “official” title on their Instagram pages. The catch?

All three actors posted different titles. Tom Holland claimed the film was named “Spider-Man: Phone Home”, Jacob Batalon announced it was named “Spider-Man: Homewrecker”, and Zendaya said it was named “Spider-Man: Home Slice”.

Of course, this was all a marketing ploy to draw more attention to the actual release of the official title the next day, and it seemed to work! The internet was thrown into a frenzy as fans tried to make sense of the odd situation.

Their posts gained 9.8, 1.3, and 5.6 million likes (respectively). The announcement of the official title then went on to achieve 3 million views, and has now left fans guessing what the title could mean, with many saying it supports the popular fan theory surrounding the inclusion of the multi-verse within the film. Only time will tell…

The post MCU Spider-Man 3 Movie Officially Titled “Spider-Man: No Way Home” appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Then the reformed XFL started to play with good results before the start of the 2020 COVID pandemic. The resulting shutdown caused the league to close soon after their season started. Now it’s time for the latest league named Fan Controlled Football which is beginning to get some exposure as the season progresses.

So… what the heck is Fan Controlled Football?

Fan Controlled Football is an indoor football league with roots dating back to 2008 when comedian Steve Hofstetter floated a satirical business concept of a fan-controlled baseball team. The idea went through several generations and eventually moved from satire to a working business model.

According to the official site, FCF.io, this incarnation started in 2015 when the group purchased an indoor team in Salt Lake City and applied the fan control idea to the team. Fans helped pick the name – Screaming Eagles – as well as the uniforms and other aspects of running a team. That included everything from coaching hires to recruiting players and “what beer we had on tap” during games.

It also created a chance to test out how fans could sit at home, or from anywhere, and watch games on devices while interacting with their team. Now, the term “armchair quarterback” may be real.

The FCF is a four-team league that is playing a short season in a bubble environment outside of Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia. Games are 7 on 7 and played on a 50-yard field with no goalposts inside Infinite Energy Arena. Games are televised live on Twitch and VENN.

What Makes FCF Different

Will the FCF survive or will it hit the same fate as other leagues in the past? Going up against the NFL is a tough thing to do. That’s why the FCF may stick around for more than one season – they are not trying to be another version of the NFL.

COSTS: First, payroll is not as expensive as a normal football team as there are not as many players. There are no kickers and no special teams. Players make somewhere around $750 bucks a week plus room and board.

TIME: games are shorter averaging about an hour which is perfectly geared towards a modern society with changing TV viewing patterns.

SEASON: Other leagues have tried to mimic the NFL with full schedules of sixteen games, playoff games, and a Championship. The FCF has a short season and a Championship game. Granted, if there are more seasons to follow that schedule will probably increase. This year the format is being tested – expect rule and other modifications – something the NFL is not good at doing in a timely matter.

FANS: The biggest difference between the NFL and the FCF is the role that fans play in the league. With the NFL, and leagues that have tried to compete with them using the NFL format, the idea is to have fans as spectators and consumers. That may be the same for the FCF but the fans can now take an active role in how the game is played while the game is in progress!

It looks like the FCF will complete its inaugural season of four games with two post-season games. That’s something both the Alliance of American Football and the XFL failed to do. Hopefully, an expanded version will kick off in 2022… wait… scratch that. As mentioned above – there are no kickoffs.

The post What is the Fan Controlled Football League? appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Ahmed Mujtaba, aka ‘Wolverine’, from Pakistan, defeated Rahul Raju, aka ‘The Kerala Krusher’ from India in a lightning-fast round through well-aimed kicks and a solid game strategy.

Shortly after the two athletes touched gloves, signalling the start of the match, Mujtaba delivered a kick to Raju’s leg which temporarily disoriented the latter, but he recovered quickly enough to deflect a quick follow-up punch from Mujtaba.

Raju attempted to return the move with a punch of his own but was halted by Mujtaba’s quick movements as the Pakistani athlete landed another kick. Attempting to break free from this barrage, Raju delivered a pawing jab and an overhand right only to have it blocked by Mujtaba, forcing the former to temporarily retreat. 

The two men then circled each other for a few seconds, each attempting to probe for weaknesses in the other’s defence. This was soon interrupted by a wave of roundhouse kicks that each athlete attempted to deliver upon the other, although with limited effectiveness for both sides.

Eventually, Mujtaba attempted to wear down Raju’s defence by using a three-piece boxing combo, only to have it skilfully deflected by Raju whose defence remained resolute to this point. Raju displayed a very impressive defensive capability during this portion of the match.

Raju then adopted an offensive stance while Mujtaba attempted to rest himself by opting for a strong uppercut with the hopes of causing the Pakistani athlete some serious damage. This attempt failed as Mujtaba’s quick reflexes allowed him to immediately jump back.

Not wishing to allow his offensive to go to waste, Raju decided to place all his hopes into a wild overhand right to knock out his opponent. Mujtaba’s fast reflexes were one of his biggest assets during the match as he consistently managed to evade or block Raju’s attacks by reacting quickly.

Unfortunately for Raju, his opponent’s great reflexes and quick reaction time not only allowed him to avoid the powerful shot but also to figure out how to counter it immediately. Mujtaba surged forward with his overhand right which landed squarely on Raju’s chin, unblocked, undeflected and unhindered.

This blow carried such force that it caused Raju to become visibly disoriented for a moment.  Taking full advantage of his opponent’s moment of confusion, Mujtaba delivered one final shorthand which ended the match and placed victory firmly within his hands.

The referee soon announced the end of this match and declared that it had lasted only an astonishing 56 seconds. In this impressive display of martial prowess, it can be seen just how much effort and skill these athletes invest into their sport.

Both Wolverine and the Kerala Krusher performed brilliantly as trained athletes and demonstrated true sportsmanship in their conduct.

The post Pakistani Fighter Won MMA Fight in just 56 Seconds! appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Most notably, “Emily in Paris” was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Television Series, snubbing “I May Destroy You.” This was a decision that even certain writers of “Emily in Paris” were surprised with, stating that the Michaela Coel’s groundbreaking series was deserving of a nomination as well.

Another example is that of the critically acclaimed film “Minari,” which has already achieved buzz and won various awards, including one at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Minari” depicts the struggles of an immigrant family in America and is directed by American Lee Isaac Chung. Despite this, the film was not nominated for Best Motion Picture, but rather nominated as Best Foreign Motion Picture.

Critics claim that this invalidates the experience of countless American families with similar stories. In the case of “Minari,” the Golden Globes state that a film must have dialogue consisting of over 50% to be considered for best pic.

However, this rule was not enforced on Quentin Tarantino’s WWII film, “Inglorious Bastards,” which is estimated to use only about 30% English and received various Golden Globe nominations in 2010.

The Golden Globes will be broadcasted on February 28th from 8-11 pm EST on NBC. The event will be hosted for a fourth time by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

The post Golden Globes Criticized for Snubs appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

If you can’t get in front of a television at game time this evening, you may be one of many people searching for how to watch the Super Bowl online. Thankfully it’s not hard.

Watch Super Bowl LV online video stream from CBS

Pre-game coverage of today’s big game between Tampa Bay and Kansas City on CBS and on the NFL network is already several hours underway.

CBS will air Super Bowl LV beginning with the kick-off show at 6pm eastern time. The game itself will begin at 6:30.

When the Buccaneers and Chief take a break at half time, The Weekend will take center stage for the Super Bowl LV Half-Time Show. Pepsi, the primary sponsor of the half-time show has been promoting The Weekend and the upcoming show via commercials for weeks now.

And of course, peppered throughout the game during breaks, millions will be watching for what will later be rated as the best Super Bowl commercials.

The CBS sports app and the CBS All Access apps should provide the needed tech to allow you to watch the Super Bowl online.

The live video streaming apps are free to download and are available for iOS, Android and other mobile device platforms.

The post Watch Super Bowl LV Online Live Video Stream from CBS appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Larry King has had one of the greatest careers in journalism and presenting in television history, interviewing some of the world’s most prevalent political figures, celebrities, and high-profile individuals.

In his almost 63-year-long career, he has conducted over 50,000 interviews, and presented various television and radio shows, including “Larry King Live” which he hosted on CNN for the better part of 25 years.

It’s because of these incredible achievements that he has been the recipient of two Peabody awards, as well as an Emmy, and ten Cable ACE awards.

Throughout the years, King has had many heath scares including heart attacks, a cancerous tumour, and a stroke, but was determined to work until “the day he died”.

Unfortunately, like millions of people around the world, Larry King was affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. In late December 2020, Larry King was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after testing positive for the virus. After media speculation, his family released an official statement on January 2^nd confirming that king was indeed battling the disease.

King passed away on Saturday 23^rd January 2021. The representatives of his company, Ora Media, released the following shortly after; “[It is] with profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles.”

Friends, family, other celebrities, and fans of his shows around the world expressed their sadness and grief all across the internet. Former interviewees such as filmmaker Ron Howard, fellow presenter and scientist Bill Nye, and singer Mariah Carey, all shared their own heart-warming tributes on Twitter.

Despite his unfortunate passing, Larry King’s legacy will live on for decades to come…

The post Larry King, Legendary TV Personality Dies Age 87 appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.