Latest news with #Lambert
Hamilton Spectator
28 minutes ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Wellington North unsure about live streaming youth, amateur sports
WELLINGTON NORTH — Privacy was a real concern for Wellington North councillors when faced with a proposal to stream local youth and amateur sports using a private platform at a council meeting on Monday evening. The request came from local sports organizations like minor hockey and Southeast Surge, who requested the township install LiveBarn, a subscription platform providing live and on-demand video coverage of amateur youth sports events, at the Arthur Arena and Mount Forest & District Sports Complex. An optional service that allows user groups to decide whether activities are streamed or recorded, township staff proposed a three-year term with the technology to be installed by mid-September. Instead, councillors asked staff to bring the bylaw back at their next meeting so they have time to learn more about the service and ensure the proper safety precautions are taken to ensure residents' privacy and preserve their liability in the event something did occur. 'I'm really concerned about that potential for human error,' said Mayor Andy Lennox. 'Schedules change. Minor hockey has to adapt. Our staff are busy keeping the ice prepared. How can you assure me that we have a foolproof system in place?' When asked about a recent situation in Waterloo Region where children were recorded by LiveBarn without permission, CAO Brooke Lambert said there is 'certainly a possibility' of human error occurring, but that the company is working to implement safeguards. If the agreement was signed, Lambert said LiveBarn would train township staff on the technology. Logins for the service could also be extended to the minor hockey and skate club presidents if they want to participate. In the event some children on the team give consent while others don't, Lambert suggested they put a privacy pin in place, not stream and distribute the recordings privately, or not record. The service has been used in Drayton at the PMD Arena since 2024 and was recently approved by the Town of Minto for the Harriston and Palmerston Arenas. Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A Black female Jesus and a gay Judas will shake up the Hollywood Bowl
Adam Lambert sits on a rickety wooden chair just outside the main chapel at the Hollywood United Methodist Church on a break from rehearsing the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' Dressed in beige shorts and a vest with matching mid-calf boots, Lambert wears his trademark glitter eye makeup with thick black liner. He's calm and collected, content to spend his lunch break chatting, even though the rehearsal schedule is a breakneck nine days total. He chalks up his easygoing demeanor to the high-wattage professionalism of the cast, and his familiarity with the music. Lambert first heard the soundtrack on one of his dad's vinyl records when he was about 10 years old. 'I've always wanted to do that musical. I've always wanted to play Judas,' he says with a smile. 'And when they told me Cynthia [Erivo] was interested, I was like, 'Wow, this is gonna be crazy.'' Lambert, a fan-favorite 'American Idol' runner-up who began performing with Queen in 2011, plays Judas to Erivo's Jesus in the Hollywood Bowl production directed by Tony-winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo. Josh Gad, who portrays King Herod, calls the cast 'the musical theater version of the Avengers.' He's referring to Erivo and Lambert, in addition to Phillipa Soo as Mary Magdalene, Milo Manheim as Peter, Raúl Esparza as Pontius Pilate, Tyrone Huntley as Simon and Brian Justin Crum as Annas. The sold-out show runs from Friday to Sunday. Judging from the ongoing commentary and controversy over the casting on social media, a queer, Black, female actor playing Jesus and a gay actor portraying Judas feel like a revelation to fans grappling with mounting concerns about civil rights in America. Over the last six months, the Trump administration has curtailed diversity, equity and inclusion programs and attempted to roll back key legal protections for certain members of the LGBTQ+ community. 'The challenge for the audience of seeing a female Black Jesus is so exciting. And we all feel the excitement,' says Lambert, adding that the show doesn't change lyrics or pronouns. 'Maybe it doesn't have to do with male or female. I don't really know if it matters what gender Jesus was, because it was about the teachings and the love and the connection to faith. So shouldn't it transcend gender?' Power — who has it and who doesn't — has emerged as a defining narrative in 2025. That was also the case 2,000 years ago when Pontius Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus, who posed a serious threat to the religious and political primacy of the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Romans. The 1971 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice imagines the final days of Jesus' life, including his agony, before he ultimately accepts his fate. Gad is keenly aware of the notion of power as historic through-line as he approaches his titular number, 'Herod's Song,' in which the King of Judea coyly mocks Jesus before taking a frightening turn into true menace. 'This is a man who's so insecure he can't afford to let Jesus out of his chains in order to actually face him without the help of soldiers around him,' Gad says. 'My hope is that I'm getting to bring one of the greatest hypocrites to life in a way that will both make people laugh and also make them recognize that archetype.' The musical was first released as a concept album in 1970 and played at the Hollywood Bowl in 1971, before debuting on Broadway later that year. During its run, protests outside the stage door were commonplace, and although the musical has reached the pinnacle of success over the years, it has remained controversial. Big summer musicals have been a staple of the Hollywood Bowl since 2000, but the shows went dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With the exception of 'Kinky Boots' in 2022, 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is the first of what Bowl leaders hope will be an annual resumption of the beloved programming. 'We wanted to make sure that when we came back, it was the most spectacular thing we could do,' says Meghan Umber, president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief programming officer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' was always at the top of the Bowl's musical wishlist but wasn't available until now, adds Brian Grohl, associate director of programming for the L.A. Phil. 'The number of titles that can sustain three nights at the Hollywood Bowl is a narrowed-down list already,' Grohl said, so securing the title resulted in a lot of jumping and shouting around the office. And when it came to who would play Jesus, Umber and Grohl both say Erivo topped the list. Her 'yes' made all the others follow. Gad calls Erivo — who was not present at a recent rehearsal because of a previous engagement — a 'generational talent.' And he's far from alone. Talk to anyone on the cast or crew and they will immediately hold forth on her extraordinary gifts. 'I see the hand of God in her,' Trujillo says reverently. 'Even now, me being in the room with her, I hear it and I see it, and it is transcendent.' Trujillo decided to go back to the musical's roots as a concept album and is staging the show as a bare-bones rock concert. Instead of elaborate scenic design, there are black road boxes, microphones and cords. Even the costumes are contemporary with nods to their lineage. A rhythm band will play onstage and a 37-piece orchestra will perform behind a giant LED screen that will create the illusion that the musicians are hovering in the sky above the action. Keeping the show in the present and infusing it with the raw energy of youth culture was crucial to Trujillo's vision, he says, adding that in the spirit of rock 'n' roll, the musical 'reflects the turbulent political times that we're living in.' 'As I set up each one of the characters, they're at a microphone singing and then they take the microphone and they step into the scene. I always want to remind the audience that we are in a concert, but we're also telling the story,' says Trujillo. 'Every single person understands the opportunity that we all have to take this monumental story, this monumental score, and to do it justice. So everyone is coming at it with such goodwill and so much joy.' At a Saturday rehearsal in the church gym, Trujillo's words ring true. The ensemble cast of more than 20 talented dancers and singers, in sweats and hoodies, run through 'What's the Buzz.' Gad watches and cheers from a table on the sidelines next to conductor and musical director Stephen Oremus, who smiles and nods his head with the beat. 'If you need me to stand in for Jesus, I'll do it,' Gad jokes. Lambert mesmerizes the assembled crew and onlookers with a potent rendition of 'Heaven on Their Minds' and Soo brings tears with a heartfelt performance of 'I Don't Know How to Love Him.' 'The more time I spend with this musical, the more brilliant I understand it to be,' says Manheim during a brief break. The 24-year-old, who's gained a tween following after playing Zed in Disney Channel's 'Zombies' franchise, is part of the youth cohort Trujillo wanted to cast. He wasn't as familiar with the score as the older cast members — which is part of the point. 'It's cross-generational,' says Trujillo of the show. 'This is the gift that you give to your children and then it just gets passed on.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The American housing market is in a deep freeze—Even lower prices aren't enough to convince stubborn buyers
The American new home market is cooling, with softer sales, higher inventory, and falling prices reflecting the current slowdown. The latest New Residential Sales report (June 2025) from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the U.S. housing market is experiencing a slowdown in new single-family home sales, while inventory and supply have increased, and prices are declining. As buyers balk at high home prices and mortgage rates that continue to approach 7%, a recent Oxford Economics report predicts more pain ahead. Concerns about the economy and job security mean many would-be new purchasers are opting to make do with modest home improvements instead. Increased new home sales often indicate strong consumer confidence, greater employment, and accessible financing. Conversely, declines suggest waning buyer interest, affordability issues, or economic stress. 'There's no question that in many of pockets of the Sun Belt—the epicenter of U.S. single-family homebuilding—buyers have gained a considerable amount of leverage this year and the market has softened,' ResiClub editor-in-chief Lance Lambert told Fortune Intelligence. 'In order to keep sales volumes steady, big homebuilders have compressed margins further and done bigger incentives or outright price cuts. Lennar is spending the equivalent of 13.3% of final sales price on incentive, like mortgage rate buydowns,' Lambert noted, up from 1.5% at the height of the Pandemic Housing Boom in the second quarter of 2022. In normal times, Lambert pointed out, Lennar spends 5% to 6% on buyer sales incentives. (Lennar is ranked no. 129 on the Fortune 500.) Key points from the report: New home sales: Sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 627,000 in June 2025. This is only 0.6% higher than May 2025, but 6.6% lower than June 2024, indicating a notable year-over-year decline in buying activity. Inventory: At the end of June, there were 511,000 new houses for sale, a 1.2% increase from May 2025 and an 8.5% increase from June 2024. This rise in inventory suggests that homes are staying on the market longer. Months' supply: The supply of homes relative to the sales rate is now at 9.8 months, up from 9.7 months in May 2025 and 8.4 months in June 2024. A higher months' supply figure generally indicates a slower market with more supply than demand. Prices: The median sales price for new homes in June 2025 was $401,800, which is 4.9% lower than May 2025 and 2.9% lower than June 2024. The average sales price was $501,000, down from the previous month but slightly higher than a year ago. This points to downward pressure on prices, likely due to rising inventory and decreased demand. What it means: The combination of dropping sales, rising inventory, and declining prices indicates a market with weaker demand and increased supply. These conditions are often seen when buyers are constrained (e.g., by high mortgage rates or economic uncertainty), or homebuilders have ramped up production in anticipation of higher demand that didn't fully materialize. The elevated months' supply metric—at almost 10 months—suggests a buyer's market, where purchasers have more negotiating power and sellers may need to lower prices to attract buyers. A new home is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a single-family house that is being sold for the first time. Since new home sales are recorded early in the sales process, trends in new home sales can signal coming shifts in the broader housing market, forecasting changes before they appear in existing home sales data. For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Euronews
15-07-2025
- Euronews
Men who felled iconic Sycamore Gap tree jailed for four years
Vandals who cut down England's beloved Sycamore Gap tree were sentenced on Tuesday to more than four years in prison for damaging the country's natural heritage and for the widespread outrage and distress it caused. Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers set out on the night of 28 September 2023 to carry out what a prosecutor called a "moronic mission," and toppled the iconic sycamore onto Hadrian's Wall. Graham, 39, and Carruthers, 32, were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage, one for destroying the tree, the other for damaging the Roman wall that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Justice Christina Lambert sentenced the pair in Newcastle Crown Court to four years and three months in prison because there was a high degree of premeditation and planning to destroy the tree and because the act had angered and saddened so many people. Lambert concluded the two had largely done it for the "sheer bravado." "Felling the tree in the middle of the night and in the middle of a storm gave you some sort of thrill," she said. "You revelled in the coverage, taking evident pride in what you had done, knowing that you were responsible for the crime which so many were talking about." Sarah Dodd, a lawyer specialising in tree law, said it was the first time in the UK that someone had been sentenced to prison for illegally felling a tree. "Today felt profoundly sad. There are no winners," Dodd said. "The Sycamore Gap tree wasn't just wood and leaves. It was a marker of memory, history, belonging." The tree, perched in a saddle between two hills, had been known to locals for its scenic setting, but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.' It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and those who spread the ashes of loved ones. In 2016, it was voted England's "Tree of the Year". Some of the mystery behind the crime evaporated during the hearing. At trial, the two men testified they were at their respective homes on the night in question and had nothing to do with destroying the tree. But faced with spending up to 10 years behind bars, they changed their testimonies when interviewed by a probation officer in advance of sentencing, though they sought to minimise their culpability, the judge said. Carruthers said he drank a bottle of whisky after a rough day and everything was a blur, Lambert said. While Graham admitted he had joined Carruthers on the journey, he said he was shocked that his former friend had actually cut the tree down. "Although there may be grains of truth in what you have each said, I do not accept that your explanations to the probation officers are wholly honest or the whole story," Lambert said. The illegal felling in Northumberland National Park caused fury and condemnation as news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in AD 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. "This iconic tree can never be replaced," Andrew Poad, general manager of the heritage and nature conservation charity National Trust, said in a statement read by a prosecutor. "It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol for many; a destination to visit whilst walking Hadrian's Wall, a place to make memories, take photos in all seasons; but it was also a place of sanctuary." Despite the denials by the defendants, jurors quickly convicted them in May after prosecutors presented a case that relied heavily on digital evidence. Graham's Range Rover was tracked to a location near the tree around the time it fell. Grainy video of the felling was found on his phone, with metadata showing that it was shot at the location of the tree. As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son. "I've got a better video than that," Carruthers replied. The black and white video showed a single figure next to the tree's prominent silhouette as the wind blew and a chainsaw sparked to life. The person leaned into the trunk and in less than three minutes the tree that had stood for about 150 years teetered and crashed to the ground. Prosecutors couldn't say at trial who cut down the tree and who filmed the act, but said both were equally culpable. Lambert agreed that both shared equal responsibility. But she said that the recent admissions of both men made it clear that Carruthers wielded the saw while Graham shot the video. Graham had sent the video to Carruthers. Carruthers will have to carry the burden for his actions like a "form of personal penance," defence lawyer Andrew Gurney said. "Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity," Gurney said. "He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. There's no better explanation than that."
Business Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Stablecoin has long road to mainstream payments, Mastercard says
[NEW YORK] For all the hype around stablecoins, they are a long way from becoming a viable everyday payment tool, according to Mastercard's chief product officer, Jorn Lambert. 'While the technology powering stablecoins holds tremendous promise – high speed, 24/7 availability, low costs, programmability, immutability – those attributes alone do not suffice to turn stablecoin into a payment tool,' Lambert said on Monday (Jul 14) on a call with analysts. 'Just as important, or even more so, are other attributes such as a seamless and predictable user experience, reach and wide distribution to consumers.' Mastercard is positioning itself as the bridge between digital assets and the traditional financial system. Lambert said the company can provide the infrastructure needed to make stablecoins usable at scale by lending network attributes such as global merchant acceptance, security safeguards and regulatory compliance. The strategy has been years in the making. Mastercard and Visa both have stablecoin initiatives that date back to at least 2021. More recently, Mastercard partnered with stablecoin issuer Paxos Trust Company LLC to help institutions mint and redeem a stablecoin known as USDG. It also supports stablecoins including Fiserv's FIUSD, PayPal's PYUSD and Circle's USDC, efforts that suggest the card networks see long-term opportunity in becoming stablecoin infrastructure providers. Lambert pointed out that today, roughly 90 per cent of stablecoin volume is tied to crypto trading as investors use the US dollar-pegged tokens to buy and sell digital assets. While companies such as Shopify and Coinbase Global have taken steps to make stablecoins available for everyday consumer payments, Lambert said such hurdles as consumer adoption and added friction during the online checkout experience will be difficult to clear in the near term. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The consumer value proposition for regular peer-to-merchant payments 'is lacking and stablecoin does not actually do anything in this equation', Lambert said. 'We think of that as almost a prepaid card. You have a stored balance sitting in a wallet and then you need to use it at certain merchants.' Stablecoins have been pitched as a way to bypass card networks, and their associated fees, by enabling consumer-to-merchant payments. The networks are reframing that narrative, casting themselves as partners that can increase the utility of stablecoin by integrating the currencies into their networks. 'At the end of the day, the conversion into stablecoin and out of stablecoin will always be there, into fiat, because that's the usable currency right now,' Raj Seshadri, chief commercial payments officer at Mastercard, said. 'The cost of stablecoin is just the cost of stablecoin, it's not the cost of the end-to-end use case, which has this on and off ramp, FX, regulatory compliance, settlement, et cetera.' The chatter surrounding stablecoin has only grown louder as stablecoin legislation progresses in the US. The pending regulatory clarity has drawn new entrants into the digital asset sector and encouraged financial institutions to consider their place in the evolving industry. It has become a higher priority as financial institutions consider the risk of funds being held as stablecoin balances instead of as bank deposits. 'Every financial institution in the world is wondering 'Gee, what do we need to do here? Do we need to offer stablecoins? Do we need to offer deposit tokens? What is the product-market fit?' Lambert said. 'Many issuers are looking at it simply to make sure they keep hold on their deposits.' In addition to financial institutions, governments and central banks around the world are considering how to spur innovation in their domestic ecosystems to avoid the dollarisation of their economies. 'We will see that multiplicity emerge over time,' Lambert said. BLOOMBERG
