From Charlie Brooker (creator of Black Mirror)



--tg

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.co...rmayer-ims

Quote:OSCAR MAYER’S FLEET OF WIENERMOBILES GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN INAUGURAL ‘WIENIE 500’

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Wienie 500 on Friday, May 23 will also mark the first “meat-up” of all six Wienermobiles in over a decade and the first competitive race for the fleet.

Hot dog fans across the country can get in on the action of unforgettable race in free-to-play pool on DraftKings

Oscar Mayer announces today the “Wienie 500” – a first-of-its-kind spectacle where the fleet of Wienermobiles will haul buns to the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a race unlike any other. Ahead of this year’s Indianapolis 500, which draws more than 330,000 fans who consume nearly 30,000 hot dogs, Oscar Mayer’s beloved Hotdoggers will make their racing debut on the very same track as the pros. The race will be streamed live on Friday, May 23 at 2 p.m. ET on the FOX Sports app and across @INDYCARonFOX social accounts, and fans can catch highlights from the race during Sunday’s Indy 500 pre-race show on FOX.

The Wienie 500 will also mark the first “meat-up” of all six Wienermobiles in over a decade and the first competitive race for the fleet, each sporting an all-new look. Each Wienermobile will represent a different regional dog, including the Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Slaw Dog (Southeast), Sonoran Dog (Southwest), Chili Dog (South) and Seattle Dog (Northwest). From custom Hotdogger racing suits to a trophy presentation in the ‘Wiener’s Circle’, complete with a condiment spray and hot dog for the wiener’s enjoyment, every moment of the race is designed to spark smiles, serving up a delightful racing event only Oscar Mayer can.

“The Indy 500 marks the unofficial kickoff of summer and the start of hot dog season,” said Kelsey Rice, brand communications director at Oscar Mayer. “As a brand known for sparking smiles in disarmingly delightful ways, it’s only fitting that we bring a race of epic proportions to the Speedway and celebrate a timeless tradition: delicious meats and a little friendly competition to kick off a summer of wieners.”

As part of the fun, Oscar Mayer is inviting fans across the nation to get in on the action. In collaboration with DraftKings, fans can predict the outcome of the unforgettable race by answering a series of race-related questions. Beginning today, fans can head to Draftkings.com/wienie500 to enter the free-to-play pool, and those who rack up the most points will win a share of the total cash prize of $10,000.

The inaugural Wienie 500 marks the beginning of a summer of celebrating the American staple, proving that even the most unexpected places – like a professional racetrack – is the perfect setting for an Oscar Mayer wiener. The Wienie 500 is part of a partnership between Oscar Mayer and IMS that names Oscar Mayer the “Official Hot Dog” of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. The first-of-its-kind race is also supported by an advertising campaign rolling out across the country, along with more surprises to come this summer.

To learn more about the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 and see the ultimate wiener crowned, visit OscarMayer.comand follow @OscarMayer on Instagram and TikTok.

Murderbot! So much fun. The Queen was ready to watch the whole series last night. Fortunately, only two episodes are out at the moment. Apple also does the thing where you can watch the first episode for free. But the Queen signed us up for a month so we'll be watching lots of shows.

Murderbot is basically a sentient robot that has a human form underneath its armor. Murderbot is sick of humanity and would rather spend its days watching soap operas than having to to interact with humans. The Murderbot's current mission is to protect a group of humans that are investigating a planet. The show, so far, pretty faithfully follows the novellas upon which the show is based.

So far, so good.

https://www.engadget.com/deals/peacock-p...31072.html

Quote:Peacock Premium is only $25 for one year right now
The Memorial Day deal knocks $55 off the price.

lawrence bonk
Fri, May 16, 2025 at 7:28 AM PDT

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. .


Peacock

A full year of Peacock Premium is on sale right now for $25 as part of a Memorial Day promotion. This is $55 off the typical price of $80. Just enter SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout. The promotion is live until May 30. This is the ad-supported version.

Peacock is a decent platform and made our list of the best streaming services. It doesn't get the attention of Netflix or Disney+, but it's home to several nifty original shows. There's the AI-adjacent tomfoolery of Mrs. Davis and the Rian Johnson-made whodunnit Poker Face. It also airs several video game adaptations, like Knuckles and the surprisingly-decent Twisted Metal.


NBC Peacock
[/url]
This is a discount of $55, but remember to enter the code at checkout. 
[url=https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=cbef8901-c2f3-4af7-b1b7-e2c3afcffd7a&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=pnr-product-module&contentUuid=332ff4cc-87e7-46e6-980d-fd7987c0ab1e&featureId=manual-entry&itemName=Peacock+Premium+%28one+year%29&merchantName=Peacock+TV&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5wZWFjb2NrdHYuY29tLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzMyZmY0Y2MtODdlNy00NmU2LTk4MGQtZmQ3OTg3YzBhYjFlIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5wZWFjb2NrdHYuY29tLyJ9&signature=AQAAAdVfraxQ7gJsNu4Gq5Tj-8le8JB4PYkeZl_PYPatZuEr&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2F&refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.engadget.com%2Fdeals%2Fpeacock-premium-is-only-25-for-one-year-right-now-163231072.html&uuid=R0kW1jdXDhwb6ASW4727]$25 at Peacock

The big draw here, however, is likely the long-awaited spinoff of The Office, which is called The Paper. That one premieres in September and is a Peacock exclusive. The platform also signed an 11-year agreement with the NBA and that goes into effect this fall. The mobile app could be getting minigames and short-form vertical videos (like TikTok) in the near future.

There's one caveat. This subscription will automatically renew for $80 after the year runs out. Stay on top of scheduling if you want to cancel before then.

We took a break from the vacation to see the movie taking America by storm. And it was fine. The fact Michael P. Jordan plays twins takes me out of the movie a lot because I kept asking myself how big they do that.

There's not a lot to the story on a basic level. Towards the end, I felt there were a few story cheats. But on the whole it was a diverting two hours.

The Queen really enjoyed it.

(04-11-2025, 03:24 PM)Drunk Monk Wrote:

(04-10-2025, 01:33 PM)Greg Wrote: Absolute Dominion. This looks bad, but there is punching.

As long as the Buddhist fighter beats the Catholic one, I’m in.

Next up from Lightchaser...

(12-12-2024, 11:13 AM)Drunk Monk Wrote: Novocaine

I wonder if this is based on Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (The Man Who Feels No Pain)
http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=4987
I like Quaid. He voices Boimler in ST: LD
I also like that this uses a Blackpink track as the soundtrack, one of my fav tunes of theirs.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/busine...236216616/

Quote:Warners Reverses Course: Changes Max’s Name Back to HBO Max

WBD CEO David Zaslav announced the move, with the company declaring, "no consumer today is saying they want more content, but better content."

James Hibberd

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Warner Bros. Discovery is changing the name of its streaming service again.

You’ll never guess what its executives came up with. 

Originally, the service launched as HBO Max in 2020.

In 2023, the company controversially changed the streaming service to simply Max — ditching the most venerated network brand name in television in favor of the most popular name for male dogs. 

Ahead the company’s upfront presentation in New York at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, WBD President and CEO David Zaslav said the name will change once again … back to HBO Max.

“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” Zaslav said in a statement. “Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”

Added chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content Casey Bloys: “With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition. And it clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognized as unique and, to steal a line we always said at HBO, worth paying for.”

Thirty minutes into Wednesday’s Warner Bros. Discovery upfront, Bloys revealed the name change to media buyers. The news was met with laughter, light applause and exactly one whistle. Bloys did follow with a solid joke: “I know you’re all shocked, but the good news is I have a drawer full of stationery from the last time around.”

The company further explained the move in a statement by noting — in what sounds like a clear shot at industry leader Netflix — “This evolution has been influenced by changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content. With other services filling the more basic needs with volume, WBD has clearly distinguished itself through its quality and distinct stories, and no brand has done that better and more consistently over 50+ years than HBO.”
Continued the statement: “Returning the HBO brand into HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering. It is also a testament to WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach – leaning heavily on consumer data and insights – to best position itself for success.” 

The history of the streaming service is actually even more tangled if you look back to early efforts to bring HBO content to streaming, since HBO Max replaced an SVOD service titled HBO Now and a nascent streaming service for cable subscribers called HBO Go. So, in a sense, watching the company’s content on demand has changed from HBO Now to HBO Go to HBO Max to Max to HBO Max. 

Recognizing the inherent humor of the situation, Warners’ press packet for the announcement included a meme from Friends, with Ross famously declaring, “We were on a break!” 

Here’s the new logo:


The move comes follows WBD framing its streaming business as its growth engine in its first-quarter 2025 earnings report last week, beating Wall Street expectations. The company had added 5.3 million subscribers to a total of 122.3 million, and grew streaming revenue by 8 percent to $2.7 billion and adjusted EBITDA to $339 million.

During an earnings call with analysts, Zaslav signaled that the company was going to try to pivot back to a less-is-more strategy compared to a high-and-broad volume provider like Netflix.

“The idea is it’s not how much, it’s how good is something we’ve identified,” he said. “We’re not going to flood the zone. We want to be telling the best stories, and we want to also be taking advantage of all the great quality content over the years.” 

The move is a shift from back in 2023, when Zaslav emphasized a breadth and depth of content after announcing Max during an interview with CNBC. “By increasing the amount of content we have on the platform – content for kids, content for families, nonfiction content, food, home, the biggest motion picture and TV library – by putting that whole bouquet of content, we think the broadest array of content available, that the churn will come down.” 

Earlier this month, Bloys reflected back on previous name change during an interview with Puck. “When you go back to when AT&T first launched HBO Max, putting HBO in that title was controversial,” he said. “There were a lot of, ‘Oh my God, HBO is gonna be next to Friends in the TV library’ … The thinking at the time was that once you put HBO in the title, it defines everything that comes on the platform.” 

Continued Bloys: “Even two years ago, the idea was still that we were gonna be something for everybody. Everybody wanted to be the next Netflix, and it’s so incredibly expensive to do that …We have accepted and understand that the majority of our subscribers at this point are going to have Netflix, and they’re going to have Amazon … So when someone is putting together their media diet, it’s about what you add to that … We did a lot of research and focus groups. The things subscribers want from us are HBO programming, scripted dramas, comedies, documentaries, the pay-one [licensing window] movies, library movies, and basically the Warner Bros. TV library. We went through all this data and showed it to David. The great thing about David—he looked at it and said, ‘Okay, let’s figure out what we’re gonna do.'” 

And, it seems, reverting back to HBO Max is one result of those discussions. 

Max will officially change to HBO Max sometime this summer.