Disney’s Star Wars Episode IX Discriminates Against Epileptics
Disney’s (NYSE:DIS) new Star Wars movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, could be dangerous for those suffering from epileptic seizures. The Epilepsy Foundation said on Friday that Walt Disney Studios had reached out to notify the epilepsy community of sustained flashing lights in the movie that could trigger seizures. “We thank Disney for reaching out to us and proactively providing information to movie theatres and moviegoers in advance of the movie’s release,” the foundation said in a news release. Disney is recommending that theater venues include notes warning of the flashing lights sequences and their potential danger to patrons.
Disney has had similar issues in the past with the Epilepsy Foundation, particularly with The Incredibles 2, which also included flashing light sequences. The foundation had issued its own warning regarding the movie, but this time Disney may have nipped it in the bud. Unless someone with epilepsy decides to sue Disney for discrimination now, which is possible.
$120K Banana Duct-Taped To Wall, Eaten, Then Vandalized with Epstein-Themed Lipstick Message
Is the Federal Reserve printing too much money? The art sector suggests maybe. “Comedian,” the art name for a Cavendish banana duct-taped to a wall and sold for $120,000 at a Miami Florida gallery, has been consumed by an art connoisseur, or perhaps a banana connoisseur. The duct-taped banana, the work of Maurizio Cattelan, was reportedly “supposed to be a banana,” according to the artist. The good news is that there are still two more original Cattelan bananas duct-taped to other walls, which sold for $120,000 and $150,000 respectively, though the other two may have rotted by now, if they haven’t been eaten yet.
Following the now-infamous banana ingestion incident, the wall it was duct-taped to was then vandalized with the sentence “Epstien (sic) didn’t kill himself,” written in lipstick. This most likely refers to Jeffrey Epstein of Lolita Express fame, who was found dead in his cell hung from bed sheets. With a broken neck. The writer of the lipstick message is unknown, but the peculiar misspelling of his last name may suggest that he she or they could possibly have worked for PBS.
In any case, the consumer of the first banana, David Datuna, a New York performance artist, ate said banana early on Saturday afternoon in front of onlookers at the gallery, none of whom stopped the man from consuming the six-figure piece of art as they weren’t sure if he was part of the act, or the value of the piece, or what. Cattelan was clear that the banana could be replaced once rotten, however, so little harm done. Cattelan made no mention of the duct tape though, which will probably lose its stickiness after the 5th banana replacement or so.
According to gallery (spelled Galerie for art reasons) director Lucien Terra, “He did not destroy the art work. The banana is the idea,” Terra said. To paraphrase Victor Hugo on ideas, “You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come, even if it’s a $120,000 art banana eaten and then vandalized with lipstick about Jeffrey Epstein.”
Constellation Brands Sticks with Canopy Growth, For Now
Constellation Brands’ (NYSE:STZ) offloading of Ballast Point Brewing, a craft beer brewery out of San Diego, is having investors question whether its partnership with Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) will survive. Constellation bought Ballast 4 years ago for $1 billion, but amid struggles to succeed with the brand, closed down brewhouses and gutted the company’s infrastructure to the point where it is now valued at about $17 million. The company says that its beer moves have no bearing on its cannabis plans, however, and that investors need not worry. This, despite the fact that cannabis firms are struggling amid extremely high taxation and regulatory requirements that are making black market operators more competitive. This hasn’t fazed Constellation though. “Constellation’s investment in Canopy Growth is entirely separate from our core business,” Mike McGrew, Constellation’s senior vice president of corporate communications, told CNN. “While we expect to see continued near-term volatility in the emerging cannabis space as markets around the world evolve and mature, we see this as a huge long-term growth opportunity.”
Trump Tells World Bank To Stop Lending To China
The World Bank, which ironically is a private company, is loaning China $1.5 billion over the next 6 years. “Why is the World Bank loaning money to China? Can this be possible? China has plenty of money, and if they don’t, they create it. STOP!” Trump tweeted. “World Bank lending to China has fallen sharply and will continue to reduce as part of our agreement with all our shareholders including the United States,” the World Bank said in response. The World Bank loaned China $1.3 billion this year, down from $2.4 billion in fiscal 2017. Meanwhile, the United States has loaned China $3.5 million this year, according to USAID. Trump did not tweet about stopping this.
Trump Makes Deal with Iran in Prisoner Swap
Another Trump tweet heard round the world concerns a prisoner exchange between the United States and Iran, in which Trump takes credit for making a deal freeing Chinese American Xiyue Wang. “Taken during the Obama Administration (despite $150 Billion gift), returned during the Trump Administration. Thank you to Iran on a very fair negotiation. See, we can make a deal together!” Wang was arrested in Iran in 2016 over suspicions of being a spy, which the US has consistently denied. The US exchanged Massoud Suleimani as part of the exchange, who was accused of violating US sanctions against Iran.
